legend of Zelda: hidden no more
by h2pm
Summary: so many things have happened after ten years. Link's journeys and return, Zelda's love might be one way and Ganon reappearing with a new plan. R&R please! it's quite like nothing you've read before
1. the revelation

_**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to the characters of the Legend of Zelda.**_

There is something I wish to point out in this story which I cannot include within my writing and narrative: the accents. I always imagined the world LoZ like a lord of the rings, so let me define the accents.

Zelda, narrator, and overall Hyrule characters: Typical English accent.

Impa and all the sheikah: Irish accent.

Link and Kokiries: highlands Scottish accent.

Gerudos: middle eastern.

Zoras: Jamaican and carribean accents.

Gorons: African accent.

Each accent should have a style corresponding their social status and education.

**The legend of Zelda: Hidden No More.**

**1**

**The revelation**

Therefore, it was all clear as Link thought about it while panting, and firmly grasping his sword. Link had fought a long battle, perhaps the longest ever against the worst evil he ever knew; it was clear to him that although he had fought bravely and victoriously for the past five full moons, he knew deep down in himself that he could not win the war.

As he stood up after kneeling, catching his breath, he thought about it again if he knew feelings, he would be sad and scared, luckily and sadly at the same time, he never knew any of those feelings, the only feeling he knew was anger and he had sworn to never feel it again.

"Soldiers, report" Link's thick Kokiri accent echoed around the black cave. Anyone hardly ever heard about such place, it was link's second time inside that dreadful cave. So dark, to never see five steps ahead of you, full of evil creatures and home of a beast that ad a precious gem as its only eye was able to see in the most absolute darkness. Link had just slain the creature; it took most of his magic power and the use of all of his arrows, shot of course wit incredible marksmanship. Finally, the creature lied dead, cut in half in the bottom of the abyss at the end of the cave, from whence Link had returned and sealed inside forever.

Not a sound from the soldiers, apparently all of them dead, devoured by the offspring that the creature released. "Nid goelo liliu" which interpreted is: may their souls rest. Link hardly ever spoke Kokiri these days, only tragic times like these, made him speak his native tongue, it made him believe tat he could feel sorrow for the fallen men.

Almost dragging his feet, Link walked out of there, without thinking what happened, he searched for the bodies, but could not find any; just parts of armour and the ashes from the offspring.

It was a cold night in the kingdom of Urikia just north of the shores of Heiml where Link had found the cave hidden in the ground similar to the ones made by snakes. The men of Urikia fought to the last man but failed, that is when Link showed up and took the rest of the men to the cave.

With the gallop worthy of the greatest soldier ever, Link rode all night and part of the next morning until noon, Epona his horse was not tired in a bit, se had experienced much more weariness that she was used to it.

A very old guard from a smashed tower asked, "Who goes there" to which Link replied with his name.

Behind the walls which were still firm in spite of the damage caused, Link saw a devastated city, the raids had occurred while he was gone; however, the local guard and the new men joined the ranks and were able not only to repel the monsters, but to slay every one of them. Naturally, everyone assumed it was over. Had they known better…

Urikia's castle was not a great e as the Hyrule castle; only one story high, no side towers and no front gates. It was made with uncrafted stones and the outside statues were made of wood, craved from fine trees. It was simple and rustic. The throne, however, was full of precious metals and gems, in the tradition of reminding everyone that the greatest treasure is a good leader.

Urikia's king was named Sirion of steel for he was a great warrior and solid in his character. He received Link with the same gladness as one receives an old friend as one is completely ruined.

"Link, my good friend" He shouted from a distance and as he did, he ran from his throne to put his arms around his savoir and that of the kingdom. Link was tired and wanted to go home, so he kept walking towards the king and put his own arms around the his majesty even when his Kokiri culture despised that way of showing affection between men.

"I can never thank you enough for your help, Link" Sirion stared straight at his tired eyes as he smiled. Link looked him back with a shallow stare.

"You do not have to thank me. I did it for your kingdom and the rest of the world. That beast was Gannon's doing, I have to go back to Hyrule at once.

They were still standing in the middle of the hall and round about them many people cleaning and restoring the walls of the castle.

Sirion heard Link's words but he had to do one thing for him before, so he looked around as looking for someone and then finally replied "you will do that, my friend but first have something to eat" The he called one of his servants and ordered the table to be set for two. The king guided Link through his castle, to the common eye, it is ordinary, but in reality, it is a maze. The castle is bigger and not very decorated very few furniture is seen, the light comes from different torches and is spread with mirrors so that killers can't find their way through the king's home.

They arrived to the enormous table made of stone, a cloth covering it was still stained from the last meal they had in peace, and since the raids started everyone had to eat on their feet.

"Please sit" in an incredible display of courtesy, the king had Link sitting first probably the last time it would happen. They were quickly joined by servants with plates, cups, meat and fruits; no bread was made since the servants were needed in the restorations. Link sat as requested and drank from a silver cup, coated inside with glass, the wine was bitter-sweet but refreshing to his mouth. As fruit and shanks were being dished out, the king felt too glad to have peace once again in his kingdom.

"Please tell me Link, how did you know we were in trouble?"

"Destiny takes me and time guides me" he drank again and took some fruit "it always has"

"'Tis a strange religion you profess, worshipping time"

"No, we do not worship time, instead we honour it for is always fair"

"Fair? Really? And what of this plague that tormented my land?" the king set down his cup and the piece of meat on his other hand.

Link kept chewing without replying, he saw now need to intervene swiftly.

"You can't always expect peace, but now you can"

The king chucked to the very truth that spoke Link. So, true, so simple.

In less than an hour Link summoned the winds that took him back to Hyrule, to the temple of time to be more specific.

He was standing in the middle of an enormous room, the floor black and white, the stone crafted exquisitely, two walls along the big pointy door had coloured glass as the windows, great light shun inside from the clear day. At the end of the room, about 300 paces, an altar with three gems, behind that an entrance without a door, and on the floor, a pedestal. Link could not see it from that point, but e remembered how that chamber held the sword that would be his constant companion for eight years now.

Then he saw a man with grey hair, dressed in white and purple robes walking towards him as the echoes of footsteps mingled with vocalizing sounds of the songs of eternity. His name is Lord Radiant, high priest of the temple of time and holy man for Hyrule and its royal family.

"I expected you sooner" he said and shook Link's hand. "Has time been good to you?"

"It has" Link replied, not what had happened but what he considered as good graces from time.

"good, then may it be good with you always" Lord Radiant placed both hands on Link's shoulders, this according to their religion you touch the person with all of your fingers meaning that time, as you first count it with your fingers may be good with you.

"Thank you, I must go now"

"Oh yes, she has been waiting for a long time, she grows impatient to see you"

Outside of the temple was a bright day, the noises and smell of spices and raw meat flew around with the wind, it was the open market from the central square. He walked in a straight line, people made way for him, soldiers saluted and friend greeted.

He walked slowly, but he wanted to see her. She was ever so lovely, sun-like hair colour, deep blue eyes, intense stare and sad expressions which along with a small mouth shows a great kindness. Whenever se spoke, there was always truth within her words, and an elegant touch of conversations was her voice, deep as in maturity and tender whenever the subject was calm or peaceful or even for recreation.

Whenever she had to deal with affairs of the kingdom, there was no peace in her talk but power and eloquence, and every now and then when villains had the dare of talking straight to her, no one weak part of her could they see, but only strength in her decisions.

A great woman, princess Zelda of Hyrule, heir to the throne and ruler of the kingdom of Hyrule for the most part. Her father, king Hark became very ill when she was still little, even as strong as he was, he lost most of his hair and his beard became as white as snow, even though he was not that old. Strangely enough her mother, Queen Zarahda died a few days after she was born, with the same decease, Zelda was told that her mother possessed great beauty and charm but as the most beautiful flower, she was just as fragile and could not bear the illness and died without pain or suffering.

Now in the present day, as Link remembered the first time he entered the castle. How he got past the guards and crawled through a small drain hole to the east side of the castle, right into the most beautiful and ornamented garden he had ever seen, there she was, at the end of it, in the middle of the court yard, peeping through a window, princess Zelda.

Back then, Link was young and naïve, but he was able to feel, for it is the gift of a child to e sensitive to everything, as to joy the same as to sadness, to bravery the same as to fear. Sadly for Link as he overcame those feelings, he also lost the good in himself and became hollow as a stalwart mountain with immense caves within. Now Zelda, was not only his owner or commander or even ruler, she was more than that, she became the one who taught him about feelings, by making him experience them once again, first friendship and finally love. As he once experienced it when he was about to fight a most formidable enemy named Bashmulia. Only his ferocity and ability to control all metals was to second his greed. Even when parted from his Master Sword-the only metal Bashmulia could not control- still Link went to fight him without fear however without hope either. Zelda opposed to the idea and told him so many times, he pleaded him not to go. As he was getting ready all of his weapons, Zelda grabbed one of Link's hands, which was still holding his heavy battle sword, almost his size and standing on the ground.

"I forbid you to go, as princess and ruler of this land I forbid you to go"

Although Zelda was crying, she did not fear for the fate of her people, all she wanted was to have Link alive, for sentimental value, for deep inside her heart she knew that Link would slay Bashmulia, even with his own life, but he would do it.

"I am nobody's property, and I will disobey you this time" Link said firmly but staring at the tear bathed eyes of his ruler "why do you want to keep me from going?"

"Because I love you, don't you understand? Are you that heartless?"

Then she started to cry even more, but without taking her hand off from Link's hand and sword, then he lowered his face and brought Zelda's face up with his other hand "You say I'm without a heart, but then answer me… I feel your hand over mine... then what is this I feel in my heart?"

Zelda stared at Link, and even though his cold expression could fool someone else, it could not fool her. Se threw herself into Link's arms and sobbed and cried out "don't do this to me; do not leave, at least not without me." To this, Link had an answer" Whatever happens, whatever time may bring, I will discover love with you, whether I am here or not." He exhaled. "I will never let any harm to come upon you, still time shall decide."

Then he left galloping his Epona to the marked land where Bashmulia had challenged him. It was a very bloody fight, where his own weapons attacked Link. However, Bashmulia's greed was also his doom, for when he was chasing Link with his own weapons, Link threw a bag full of rupees which distracted Bashmulia and weakened the spell that controlled the weapons, and with a mighty leap he snatched his sword in mid-air and lopped off Bashmulia's head. The Dark King had been watching everything and held the master sword. He opened a portal that connected the real world to the Evil realm where he the evil king inhabited. By doing so, he released about fifty skeleton soldiers and also the master sword which was in his power, however the sword was wrapped around by a chain that was firmly tight with Bashmulia's spell and now with Bashmulia dead, the chains fell loose and so the master sword brought light and power destroying the evil king's dominion. As the sword fell through the portal and into Link's hands again, he started to fight off the skeletons. Now, Link's condition was critical, he had several wounds and lost a lot of blood, it would have been his doom if it had not been for princess Zelda and Hyrule's cavalry that fought off the skeletons and returned Link safely inside the castle.

Ever since, Zelda has shown her love for Link and he has been trying to understand what love is and trying to discover his feelings.

And at this preset day, as he went inside the castle through the main entrance, and was saluted by all the soldiers, he went to the garden, still as beautiful as ever and straight to the princess, who was in this occasion watering her turquoise orchids and also explaining to the gardener the new acquisition of the garden.

"the turquoise orchid requires a lot of water, is so strange to have them in this kind of soil for they grow mainly in the sands of the ocean, but not any ocean, they need great light so they grow only in the circle of eternal beams west to the shores of Paltrinten where is said life began. Be sure to have at least five torches for each ten feet or so, they will need the heat to compensate for our climate."

"Yes your majesty" said the head gardener. "I will tell the pawns to start pegging the torches, if you will excuse me"

As the gardener left, Link approached in the most absolute silence, it was not Link's intention to surprise or sneak upon the princess, but Link made an instinct the silent walking so he did it without noticing.

"These orchids" said the princess suddenly. "are not the only thing rare in these lands, and they are by no means the most precious thing in this castle, don't you agree Link?" even though the princess did not turn around, Link kept walking towards her until he became close enough that he inquired. "How did you know I was here?"

"When you are around, as I have developed the sense for it since you came back, I can feel it even the wind feels different."

"Like my premonitions when I feel danger"

"No" she said "it is different, you see because when you have your premonition, you feel uncomfortable whereas I feel pleasure." Then she turned around and sweetly kissed his lips, and put her arms around him as so did he.

"I missed you, I was anxious for your arrival; you were gone for so long"

"I know, but there was evil that I needed to defeat"

"Why must you go and search for evil to far lands, there is enough evil in Hyrule to keep you fighting the rest of your life"

"Must you say this every time?" Link took a step back and felt anger once again "the evil King makes his influence everywhere even far lands, and because of his defeats now he wants to bring evil from other places."

"Then let those rulers deal with such matters"

"I cannot, princess. It is my obligation; I'm bound by honour and fate to fight them, until my dying day where I will perish by the sword or spell of my enemies." Then Link clenched his fists. "Can you not understand that?"

"I understand other people's needs, but I also understand that I cannot bear to loose you, it is beyond my worse nightmares."

"You wouldn't be left defenceless, you still have a vast army; well trained I might add."

"You very well know that I fear something else." Zelda approached Link with a certain calm that would be unusual, however, it was not the first time they argued about this particular matter. "What I fear is to loose you because I love you, have I not reminded you this enough?"

"I never forget about it princess, I even admire your strength to say this openly in spite of me being a commoner, nothing more than another servant at your command. Yet, I must say that the same way that you cannot forget your blood line as heir of this throne, I cannot disregard the commission I have been given."

Then they started walking through the intense green gardens, full of flowers and of course ornaments, they day was clear with a cool breeze coming from the lake, nightfall was approaching yet you could not see it for the days in Hyrule are mighty bright. The soldiers were about the gardens and other places within and outside the castle. It was Link's order to have them secure the area constantly; this was due to the recent attacks and the call for aid from other kingdoms. It wasn't only those kingdoms that were in danger. Then all of a sudden, he remembered that he thought about inside that cave at Urikia. He forgot about it but he came to realize that he had been wasting time.

Zelda had been holding his hand since they stopped talking, maybe it was one of her virtues: to put the past behind you; more of a forgiving than forgetting virtue. However, Link was not as that at all, he actually forgot about things or did not mind them, just like that he left the garden without a word or apology.

He went straight to the secret quarters where all the meetings for the council of war were hold. During the way to that place, he asked different guards to call the people, arrange the place and to relief the men in their posts, given the time, he wanted people that had taken a rest instead of soldiers that were already tired, a good strategy while all the leaders are together without their eyes out in supervision.

Then after a quarter of an hour had passed, the first people started coming inside the room. First the prime general of the castle guard and troops inside the kingdom: General Fallder. Then the captain of the fleet: Lord Anchorage; the headmaster of the cartographers and map scouts Master Mirodu; and last of all, the general of the cavalry and foreign armies Lord Zorili, a Zora and the only member of this council who was not a Hylian.

"Thank you for coming to this meeting, I have chosen all of you because there are special favours I need from you and you alone."

"Where are the rest of the council and the princess?" Lord Zorili asked for he was not acquainted with this sort of procedures.

"I apologize, Lord Zorili, but we need to keep this a secret even from the Princess. This meeting would have been smaller, but I need something in particular from each and every one of you, even the men I sent out for you are from my own selection and full trustworthy." Then Link sat down wit the rest of the men to discuss the matter which had been troubling him since he realized it. "I must warn you that what I am about to say is beyond your understanding, so do not try to understand why and just listen to my indications.

As you know, I just returned from a battle at the lands of Urikia. There I spent five full moons inside a cave, looking for and battling the offspring from a creature so foul that would have made me meet my doom had not been for the fairness of time which brought strength at the exact moment. Now this creature had never been heard of, ever; not even by the great librarians in Urikia or Gondollah. What I fear is that his creature was Ganondorf's own doing."

"That is impossible, master Link" Said the headmaster Mirodu.

"He is correct" Lord Anchorage Joined as he stood up "he does not have that kind of power anymore, he lost all of it when you took the triforce back. Besides, the waters have been calm these past days; do you not agree with me that the sea would be the best place to draw a beast for our destruction?"

"I do agree with that" said Lord Zorili. "I have lived at the sea many years and I must say that creatures beyond my fears have spawned there in front of my home without the evil king's intervention.

"Hold on, Lords, and let master Link talk" General Fallder also stood up and silenced the disturbing commentaries being said by the disturbed soldiers and scout. "Please tell us master Link, why do you suppose this?"

"'twas when I fought this creature. After shooting all of my arrows ad making virtually no harm, I could see that this creature was being nourished by an external force that I could not notice before and would have never been able to notice had it not been for the apparent loss of blood and wounds that made the creature vulnerable for a moment and then regained strength. I thought all was lost if it had not been for the time which made me see the weakness of this creature, allowing me to be close enough for my sword to part it.

This, my lords is only a minion, this was not an ancient evil which had been summoned: 'tis a taste of power, a test to my own strength, I even dare to call it an experiment. Believe me when I say this is the evil kin's doing, and by that I mean he created it.

"How could he gain this power without the triforce" asked master Mirodu "even with the triforce he never displayed such powers."

"That I cannot explain, but I have to warn you to prepare for war"

"Then why did you summon only three of us when this requires the council in its total form?" asked Lord Zorili.

Because I need you no t to prepare for war, at least not at this moment, but to prepare the way for me to find the Evil King's lair."

Then there was silence at the secret chamber. Every mouth unable to utter any word, be it of surprise, of fear, of inquire or of unrest. This had been a very strange night, for the men of the council of war. Then they all realized why he wanted to keep this a secret, it was not because of spies, no but because of the princess.

What Link was proposing to those men was to help him infiltrate inside this secret lair, which was for sure not of this world but full of monstrosities and dark dominions, all of them a t Ganondorf's own command, in one word it was suicide.

This he did because he would not risk open war with the evil king when he would recover fully; Link knew that the evil king was not yet fully recovered from his wounds and the scar that being trapped inside the sacred real had left him. Now it was time to hit him at the only place where he was safe. Now the reason why he needed these men was because each one had special powers inside the kingdom and outside of it. They could be a benefit for Link's search.

First of all was the general of the castle guard and local troops, this man had the task to keep the soldiers working fully with Link preparing himself for this battle, who meant Link not tending his obligation of master trainer of the army. Then the captain of the fleet would search the oceans and talk to the traders to find out the information about strange happenings, for one thing was sure, the evil king did not create this wicked place, he merely conquered it, which meant that there was an entrance someplace in the world, natural entrance. Then the headmaster would send all of his scouts to unknown lands and specifically make maps for all of them, some of these places very few people would dare to even ride close to them. Finally, Zorili would talk to the foreign armies and ask them to watch over Hyrule for there was a possibility that Link would not be there if war broke; sadly this meant not that he would be busy with the evil king. If war broke and this was in open fields with invasions and battle over the seas, this would mean that Link's plan did not go well, and that he was now dead.


	2. luring in

**2**

**Luring in…**

At that very same moment at a very far away land inhabited and ruled over by the damned, the evil king sat on his throne carved from the bones of his enemies, his hands rested over two skulls that belonged to the generals who once served him and brought his doom.

His condition had begun to get better, although he had lost the triforce before and to be able to flee the sacred realm sacred him immensely, he had found a new source of power that brought his magic a new sense of power.

"What happened with Argul?" he stormed everyone inside the room with that question which echoed in the stoned hallways.

"He was defeated, my Lord." Jarlon, his first general and almost shadow answered.

"How could this be? Did he not receive the nourishment at every moment?"

"He did, my lord, however the nourishment was not enough to keep him alive if killed instantly. I believe that Link cut him in half."

Infected with anger, the evil king grabbed one of the skulls, tore it off from the throne, and smashed it with his bare hands. Quite impressive given that they were hard as rocks because of the special coating the artisans used.

The reason of his anger was not because he resented the loss of the beast or the fact that he did not know that Link would be that strong, it was because Link managed to defeat his creature and he would still have to wait for his revenge.

"Should we lure him into Termina, my lord? There we could gather at least four beasts given the variety of the soil."

"No" Gannon replied strongly. "There is no need for that." He calmed his tone. "you see Jarlon, Link knows that I will be coming for him even to the very gates of Hyrule, when that happens he will have no choice but to fight me with his army and jeopardizing the people inside the kingdom domains, however if he does that, we will be defeated and he will take my head this time instead of trapping me inside the sacred realm."

Jarlon could not believe his ears. "Do you really think he could defeat you? Now you are ever more powerful."

"And I was ever so powerful eight years ago, when he was merely a lad, still he fought me with the aid of the sages and two thirds of the triforce. Now, to this day he holds the full triforce and without a doubt he will use that, I fear he has a high possibility to defeat me."

"What should we do then, my lord?"

"I am still recovering, and Link knows that… I say he will want to find this dark domain and fight me here."

"That would be suicide."

"That is his best choice. He does not know how strong I am and likely he thinks he cannot win, so he will come and kill me here instead of waging war in open field."

"He will never find this place."

"On the contrary, Jarlon I wage he has a lead unto us at this moment.

At that very moment, the castle of Hyrule was quiet, Link was as usual at the living quarters of the soldiers doing the training, supervising the blacksmiths and giving orders to the soldiers for the change of guard and other affairs concerning the work of the army.

Then princess Zelda walked in, always so beautiful, she went towards Link with no other thought in her mind but to see him. Now princess Zelda loved him very deeply and since she was already a sweet person, she wanted to see him every moment she could spare.

Before everyone could see her, Link was demonstrating the skills with the sword; it included to cut thin branches from the tree without moving the bigger branches, an exercise that required speed, skills and a good grip of the sword.

"This exercise needs precision. You rarely need precision at sword range against another army; however you do need it against trained assassins that might storm inside the castle or other positions you may guard." Then he had everyone try with the branches of that tree.

"The sword is not the ultimate weapon. The truth is that there is no ultimate weapon, each sword, spear, axe, or shield should adapt to your fighting style. Only one thing is needed to succeed in battle or outlive your enemies. Whether you fight for good or evil, you are required to have your arm extended against your enemies holding that weapon, and at the opposite end of that arm, your cause and your heart should lie."

Zelda was moved by those words as she lied in the shadows of the corridor "he does feel, he has to feel" she whispered to herself. She carried on, when the soldiers saw her, they saluted, and then Link dismissed them.

"So how are you feeling" she asked although she wanted to know something else.

"Fine, thank you" Link sheathed his sword. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to see you" she replied with a sigh. "Do you remember that when you love someone you spend time with her?"

"Aye, I do" Link did not look at the princess. "However, I believe there is another purpose for your visit."

Zelda kept quiet for one moment and then she hesitated. She wondered how someone who had no feelings could be so sensitive to someone's thinking.

"You are right." She finally answered. "I wanted to know why you left in such a hurry last night"

Then Link took a few steps back, because he was too close to her and then he started walking towards the wall, it was merely seven steps away. While Link placed one hand on the wall, he thought about his answer, he could not speak the truth, heavens no; neither could he be honestly lying about the matter.

"Why do you do the same thing?" Zelda walked towards him in a very quick pace, she pointed him with her left hand finger, which in Hyrule is a sign of discontempt and anger. "Must you never trust me? Should you be more concerned about your position rather than your love?"

"I never said that I loved you" His words really hurt Zelda to the deepest end of her heart. True, he never said that, on the other hand he felt something for her, something he could not describe, something that was stronger than is will. Whenever he could not take his eyes off her, whenever he asked one last thing just to hear her voice, whenever he felt like killing that prince Rundrack from the kingdom of Pershiom who flirted with her in every visit.

Many who noticed, often wondered "why can't he tell her?" for Link, life is not easy, since he does not feel anything, not even fear, lies to him are useless, besides he once swore before the Deku tree that he would never lie.

"Why are you telling me this?" Zelda became mad at him though she was hurt by the fact that he was being so cruel to her."

"because I do not think is fair that you love me with all your heart and I do not know what it is" Then he walked toward her and put his arms around, the princess struggled for one moment and then she let herself be surrounded by those powerful arms that had killed likely a million creatures in the past eight years. "Without a lie, I enjoy having you close, my heart pounds and warmth comes over me with only your very thought. Nevertheless I feel this when I am taken by anger, so intense that I cannot tell the difference between them."

With Link's words, Zelda held herself tighter to him as she pondered those facts together. That man holding her knew for sure only one feeling and that was anger, now he compared it with love. How could he? None of this made sense or made a point.

"You once told me that you would discover love with me" she almost whispered and then looked up to him. Sometimes Link's eyes could be discouraging, that is because he has a very cold stare, vague eyes and deep blue, if eyes are windows into the soul, then Link is without one.

"It is as looking at a statue" she thought.

Then she started to question her feelings until Link said "one thing I will tell you: when I came back to Hyrule, it was not fate taking me, it was I. The thought of seeing you again" then he became closer, his face was closer and closer until only a finger-width away. He whispered "this I did in my dreams" and kissed her. Yes, Link had the eyes of a statue, his speech was that of a soldier during battle, but his kiss was of a lover. Their lips touched and could stay there for days because they belonged together as soil and seeds do, as sun and light do. Many things did Link ignore, but this was the only thing that he was fascinated by and puzzled at the same time. They were still embraced when a soldier came to see princess Zelda to request her presence before the king.

"I love you" she said before leaving and then added her last words. "I wish you never leave this world without saying the same to me."

Then she left to see her father as Link stayed there thinking and tanking the time for the moment and for the time she had to go.

Zelda walked back into the castle, by the halls with the laundry, the kitchen, the cistern and the three way intersection. Then she took the stairs to the old tower. It was unknown why the king ordered to live in that old tower even to Zelda. His decease was not contagious, at least not airborne; there was really no need to be away from everybody.

Perhaps it was King Hark's wish to die without anyone watching, especially his daughter, since she had never seen him well since she was very little. Now as he was dying, Zelda loved him more, not because she pitied him, but because she wanted to make the end of his journey more pleasant and she regretted every single time she was disobedient.

"Your highness called?" Zelda asked while she was standing at the door frame smiling sweetly at her father.

"Yes daughter, come in please" The king sat up on his bed while Zelda pulled a chair to sit on. "It is good to see you, I never get company and besides you, that is the way I like it."

"What can I do for you?"

"Do for me? Oh, my child, cannot a father have a time with his daughter for something else than the kingdom's affairs?" the king chuckled. "I just want to talk before you are needed back at the throne."

"Of course father, silly me."

"Now, how are things? With you of course."

"Well" she hesitated. "Everything is going well, right now we have peace and the ball that we celebrated forty days ago for the Kakariko festival was quite lovely." So was her answer. The ball was lovely indeed, but it was not so enjoyable for Zelda.

"I see what about you and Link?" Zelda sighed.

"Father…" king Hark chuckled and smiled at Zelda who had blushed.

"I know, I know, I am not supposed to be meddling between you two. Believe me, I am not. I am just a father who wants to know if his daughter's loving heart is not a broken one."

"Not a broken one?" Zelda stood from her chair and looked out a window next to her, and while she stared at the green fields of Hyrule beyond the horizon, she said "my heart is a constantly broken one. I have only known love through pain and despair. See this, the man who holds my deepest affection is the one who does not show it or even talks about it. Link is so cold and you know that. Sometimes I even pity him for he never knew a home or friendship. While he was fighting off evil, so we could have the two things he will never know, he was left alone to wander through this solitary world, without kin or friend."

"I don't think it affects him anymore" true; however, Zelda did not think that way. She kept looking through the window, feeling the heat from the sunlight on her face while the rest of her body shivered with the cold draft from the stone tower. Then she remembered the time when her father and she had an argument about her love for Link.

It was the first time that prince Rundarck visited Hyrule for political reasons. Link did not like him at all since the prince was a gentle man and a lover of poems and songs, those that become cherished for the warm-hearted people. Rundarck openly flirted with the princess, declaring that her beauty was beyond all reason. Some of his remarks made Link threaten him with his hookshot with the pretext of him getting too close to the princess.

When king Hark learned about it, he requested to see Zelda and talk about the matter alone. They had this conversation at the library in a very cold night by a good fire.

"I find prince Rundarck a charming young man" the king said while he covered himself with his cape made from bear's fur.

"He is indeed" Zelda replied without interest in the conversation.

Then, a very uncomfortable silence. "Do you love Link?" the king suddenly questioned.

"Yes" princess Zelda answered swiftly. "I have no intention in lying. I have felt like this for many years now. I shall openly admit it to anyone who asks."

Although she would openly admit it to anyone who asked, as she put it, she would not look at her father in the eye. While she had been talking, it would seem as she was into deep thinking, actually she was just a bit embarrassed to use those words. She was not ashamed of her love, however she was still young and knew little about these matters, in that sense she was just as bashful as any common girl.

The king stared at his daughter the same way as one stares at a closed, locked door, knowing what lies behind it and yet unsure.

"Say that again, but now look into my eyes." Said the king and leaned forward to look at her better.

Zelda looked at him and quickly looked away. She felt the blood running into her head and her face warmer even though she was so close to the fire.

"I…" she looked at her father and her eyes went from looking at the cape to his eyes. "I love Link, and will openly confirm it to whoever asks"

Their eyes met in the orange light from the fireplace. Inconstant shadows moved around the room and about their bodies. Finally the king lowered his stare, not to see but to think. Zelda did not take her eyes off her father, she was waiting impatiently for a response to her remarks, she wanted to know what her father and king of the land would think of her behaviour. The king coughed and then drank a cup of tea. His majesty's illness made him suffer the changing temperatures, the weather did not matter for him it was sometimes too hot or too cold.

"You know he is a commoner, you on the other hand are from a royal family line maintained for one hundred times nine years." Zelda sighed. "Remember that all of your choices affect the kingdom. When you marry, your children will bring the future ruler. When Link decides that he loves you and wants to marry you, if ever, how will you keep the lords and nobles to respect the marriage? How will you keep the same respect for the treaties with other kingdoms after they know your children are not pure blood?"

Princess Zelda could feel the tears building in her eyes and her soul consumed by grief. Se was worried because she felt for the first time the bitter stab of restriction regarding her love, and the sorrow for the other rulers who undergo such limitations.

She quickly ran out of the library and left the door open. She ran through the hallways panting and breathing out steam constantly. She felt the change of temperature as she left in such a hurry; she felt some tears falling to the ground. Now on the second level of the castle in the east wing and under the full moon ever so bright, she wept for her impossible love.

More than one soldier asked her what had happened, if he could help, if she needed something, just hearing them made her run faster. She despised her position, her blood, the very castle she lived in and the cursed ancestors along with their bylaws.

Just as she was weeping, she heard a voice behind her up in higher ground, it was Impa her loyal bodyguard and servant of the family. Impa looked so much younger than she really was, had grey hair, but because of her family rather than age. She carried a short sword on her back waist and a chest plate with the triforce mark and an eye representing the sheikah family to which she belonged. Her red eyes were sober and big; she was able to see in the dark but not as well due to an injury in her left eye which left a mark.

"What troubles you my lady?" she jumped down to the ground and bowed before her. "Anything that I can be of help?"

Zelda chuckled softly, not because it was humorous, but because the question itself was ridiculous.

"No" she answered and added "nobody can help me. "

"With you power over this land, of the sages, I find that hard to believe." She stood up. "How so?"

"There are battle grounds where we cannot wage war, and there are foes that cannot be fought with weapons or armies."

"What battle grounds are those, my lady?" maybe Impa knew the answer.

"Our own desires, our very souls, my same will." The princess wiped off the tears from her face and turned her back on Impa since it is not considered as rude in Hyrule.

"That is a battle fought every day and always shall."

"But it is not fought by foreign armies. You know that some things will never change. The master sword is the strongest weapon. The seven sages hold immense power. With that we were able to banish the evil king to the sacred realm, but you or I or even the trifoce itself is powerless to change his will or the darkness in his heart. We could kill him, but can never change him."

"Is that what troubles you?"

"What troubles me is that since I am not evil, my will is the only thing there is to change, and as you can see, I cannot, and neither can you."

A cold wind blew. Zelda projected sadness apparent to even the birds that flew across the black sky, completely black except for the blue shine of the moon and small circles around the many stars in the sky. Not far from there a wolf howled and may joined it, the trees were beaten by an even stronger wind and they sounded in the night as the rubbing of their leaves produced the basic melodies of night.

Having been finished with the conversation, Zelda requested to be left alone and not to be bothered. Impa left to do as the princess commanded, but the princess felt a gap inside her, carved with fear, sorrow hatred, a gap that no command could sate. Never did she feel like this before the talk she had with Link before the battle with Bashmulia. It was Link's attitude afterwards, which made her realize how much she really loved him. Why? Very simple, when Link recovered from his wounds, he never mentioned anything to Zelda; he avoided any conversation with the two of them alone. And what did Zelda do? She never complained. She realized that it was the same Link as always who could not know how to deal with matters he could not understand.

Then she heard a grunt, very distant and fading it was joined by a sound of chopping wood. She walked towards the sound for she knew it was within the castle. She passed the rooms, the ways for the towers, went to the main hall and moved towards the west wing to the soldiers' quarters and training grounds, there she saw Link. He was practicing by throwing pieces of firewood into the air and slashing them before they hit the ground. He was moving as fast as the wind; he wielded his sword in that strange matter that created separation among his kokiri brethren: using his left hand.

After the last piece had been chopped, he put them back where he found them and sheathed his sword.

Zelda had been staring at him and watching his moves closely. She noticed that whenever he wielded his sword, is face would actually become with expressions, body language. It was as watching a painting come to life-something Link had actually seen.

He gathered the wood and put it where he found it. He paused and then in clear voice he called her. "Princess" he could smell the rose oil that she puts on every morning. He could not see her; still he stared at the shadows where she was hiding. Zelda approached and Link gave her a bow and asked, "How can I help you?"

She scoffed "yes Link, it would help me so much if we could talk"

"Certainly, what subject"

"Us" she fixed a scavenging stare and prepared herself for an argument. "I would like to know what you feel about me."

"I have no feelings, you know that"

"You must feel, Link. I've seen you in anger; therefore you must feel something else. Nothing is without a counter part. No tower has one side. No rainbow is in one beginning the end. There is no beginning without an end. There is no heart without a soul."

True words, nevertheless they meant nothing to Link. A warrior has no need or use for those words.

"I do not understand."

"Of course, you never understand. I see that you follow orders and your task ends there. But I wish to know about your will. What is it?"

"About you?"

"Yes"

"Time shall decide." He answered hoping that the argument ended there. She on the other hand, felt discouraged to go on, but felt anger fuelling her strength.

"I do not care for religion, so stop shielding behind it. Tell me what you are going to do" She rarely demanded anything from Link; this however had to be demanded.

"What other answer do you want, Zelda? Do you think is that simple? How am I to proceed before you? Would you rather have me when I might not satisfy you?"

Quick questions, neither time to answer nor any means to do so.

"What does your heart tell you?"

"That I need to be close to you "

"Then go on with that feeling and once you get another one, follow it too"

"I am with you"

"I see, you are a liar" that remark shocked Link to a formidable extent. Although he is not offended by much they could say to him, this due to the lack of culture formation, he could be offended when called a liar.

"How dare you?" he turned around and exhaled sharply "aelius gambara?" which interpreted is: "how could she".

"I am no liar" he kept his back turned on her.

"You said that you would discover love with me, and so far you have not made an attempt, not one."

"I am trying"

"You are doing nothing!"

Then Zelda approached her protector and wondered if he could actually follow that order; that challenge.

Another howl and quickly joined was heard even father away. Then one beautiful bird, which is not seen often at that time at night, over flew them and stood on a branch about 10 paces away.

The clouds cleared and a beam shun over them. Link saw the light upon Zelda and realized what a magnificent view that was.

He felt compelled to do something more, something that many several full moons later would confess to have done in his dreams.

He kissed her when no one was watching. It was not as slow as one would think given who inexperienced he is, nevertheless impulsive. Yes, Link was also impulsive, not out of control just impulsive. The same way he would follow his premonitions, the same way that he felt like kissing the princess, or how he felt this rage towards enemies. But not out of control, it would take no more than a command to keep him in place. To think things over was enough too. He was impulsive, but not stubborn.

Now, as he kissed Zelda, he felt something else inside, he felt he should stay there and enjoy the embrace. Throughout that kiss and the ones afterwards, Zelda smiled with Link's lips on her own and thanked time for the time being.

During that first kiss, Link held Zelda by the waist while she touched his chest with both hands. "I can feel you heart" she said with a thankful smile.

They went for a walk around the castle; they got to the garden which at night is perhaps not as lovely for it is full of dark corners that impede the sight of its many different colours which can also be tainted by the pale moonbeams. But the aroma was so intense. Moisten by the dampness of night the smells of sweet flowers combine, carried softly to embrace oneself. In that garden, there were three turrettes, they were made out of a different stone which kept its original colour and yielded little to the pass of time. Up in the third turret, the one closest to the wall, Link and Zelda enjoyed the sight of the rest of the garden, a bit of the Kakariko village lights as well as the kokiri forest.

"This is a charming spot, I have always loved it".

"I like it when it's quiet like this" he breathed deeply. "It reminds me of the forest, but we have crickets and owls that combine with the melodies of the skull kids. They play lively however their songs are sad for they try to forget they have no face."

The princess did not know what to say. Not that Link feels sorrow for the children with no face but se felt uncomfortable with that comment.

"You know, you are the only one who understands when I speak, usually I have to repeat myself. "

"I might understand you in other ways as well"

"I do not see how"

"Well" she was holding one of his hands but then she also held the other to face him. "when you love someone that means that there is a bond between you two, and along with that bond everything is shared… similar to a bridge."

"What is shared through that bridge?"

"Thoughts, feelings, joy, heartache." Zelda answered and Link felt a battle inside him about those words.

"What about pain?"

"That too"

Then he walked away and down the turette. Zelda followed him expecting an answer. She expected him to offer it.

They went as far as the hallways without saying a word.

"Where are you going?" she finally asked

"To sleep, I need some rest" he spoke without stopping.

He turned left and even though he said nothing, he wanted to be alone.

"Is something wrong?" Zelda's patience began to flake.

"There is". But Zelda did not learn that night what troubled him. He kept walking as Zelda stormed deep inside herself wondering what could have gone wrong. Later on she learned that her lover worried much to have Zelda share his pain. He shall always endure pain and danger, he knew this, he also knew his duty was to protect her from any of that, even emotionally or spiritually. He could not bear the idea that she should feel pain because of him.

But that was then. Since that time, they have gone through many hardships. Many times did he feel what Zelda described as love, even if he could not be certain?

As father and daughter kept talking about the relationship inside that room at the top of the old tower, everyone else was about their own business.

Meanwhile, the evil king kept recovering with the sporadic use of his powers, exercising his body and the remedies of magic, potions and medicine. At every moment, his first general would keep company. Jarlon was a native of the borderline of Quiavaughn, the deserted ice-wastelands. Very few people lived there, all of them belonging to small clans. The damned lived their whole lives knowing only the people from their own clan, if any other also damned people as they were. Their only purpose in life was killing. Until the take over of the whole Xilias Empire, the Rue people-which is another way of calling the ice, actually a very foul name- gathered the emperor's enemies and gave them away the whole land, since the only concern of this people was to be freed from the burning cold pit whence they lived. Since the imperial soldiers always guarded the border, the Rue people enjoyed greatly in slaying them any possible occasion.

Jarlon Etereas was his complete name, meaning the sunbeams, rarely seen but fully covered the land the day he was born.

He learned the art of killing, as his father put it once, by the age of eight. By the age of 12 companies were sent specifically to kill him.

Rage would rarely take over him, cleverness was his strongest weapon; also his eyes could see every movement as though they could see the immediate future.

He carried a spear built in a way that could expand and contract with the right movements; he wore armour of which the back plate was actually a shield. His clothes were white for he considered an honour to wear his defeated foe's blood. He had a cape without a hood that covered most of his body, his spear contracted he had in a holster that hung from a very dark blue belt.

He was of very pale skin and very light blue eyes; his hair was grey and shining as silver. His victims bear a mark on the forehead of a circle with a vertical line across it, the symbol of the sun. And a direct blow through the heart. That was his way of killing, his artistic representations.

Jarlon lead the army for the evil king ever since his return; although Jarlon was always an excellent killer, it was never his purpose to conquer anything. Even with the revolution at Xilias, he claimed nothing for him. His only interest was in killing, in having a pleasant life with wine, food women and killing. He lived the life of a pirate and held the loyalty of one.

Now as he stood next to the evil king to review the position of the army, he felt uneasy about the decision his master took earlier that day.

"I would like to know why" he asked so he could understand better.

"I want Link to have a passage to this castle, of course if anyone sees an opportunity to kill him, take it. Though I doubt it"

"I could go ahead and kill him" he gazed at Gannondorf craving for a yes.

"You wouldn't succeed" was the reply. "This campaign is for the sole purpose of wearying him to the point of death, which is our only way."

"Maybe this trap should be away from us. Perhaps attacking another kingdom."

"If we do that, and this is the last time I answer your nonsense, he will tell the princess, if he comes here, he will never let Zelda know, therefore she will be unready for our attack"

Jarlon said no more, yes he had more questions but it was not his wish to trouble his master with more nonsense's. He half understood what Gannon wanted to do. Link would often leave the kingdom regardless of telling the princess or not. He had never seen Link live in action so he could not imagine how he could be superior in fighting.


	3. Sendrh Uchia

**3**

**Sendrh Uchia**

Link kept receiving the reports from the lords and the generals from that secret meeting where he decided he would attack by himself that place he called Sendrh Uchia which interpreted is: hidden darkness.

As he read on, Link looked at the maps and remembered the places where he had been and places that master Mirodu suggested as possible entrances. Altogether they just seemed paper; he could not feel that they were leads unto the dreadful dominion. As he studied them inside the room, Zelda went in. Link quickly folded them and hid them inside his blue tunic.

"Oh, you are here" Zelda seemed surprised.

"Yes, were you not looking for me?"

"Truth is that I am here to sign a treaty with prince Rundrack around noon."

Link blinked and held his breath for one moment.

He was about to leave the room but Zelda stopped him.

"You cannot hide it" she smiled.

"I do not like him. 'Tis enough said" Link looked at her in the eye.

"That is called jealousy, master Link" Zelda made him sit at the table.

"Then I feel jealous."

"I do not mind it. Actually, I am flattered when you feel this way. I recommend one thing, though; do not threaten him with a weapon. It is not polite and I want him to sign this."

"If you ask me this, then I shall obey"

He left quickly for the training grounds. So many things he had to plan and so little time. There were no confirmations about what he was searching.

"I don't like it whenever time is uncertain" he thought. It is obvious that for someone that worships time, not being aware of it is a torture. And yet Link did not feel pressure.

It is not a small task to describe the feelings of an insensitive person. Link could feel, but not quite as regular people. Jealousy, he could feel but for the same reasons as the rest of the world. Anger, always pure and often restrained.

Incomplete he is, and lacking for he is not able to do the things as regular people do. But these regular people can only dream what he accomplishes.

Without pressure, decisions are not easy to make, though. He reserved that task to the princess who seemed to have just about enough wisdom for the both of them and the rest of the kingdom. His father would always call him a loyal bloodhound.

It was a terrible thing when he met his father. As he often wondered about his parents, he also had a dream, shall we say? A dream where his parents were noble people who loathed any kind of evil. He knew that his mother was able to bring him to the kokiri forest and for being able to do that, it outlined the kind of spirit she possessed.

The kokiri people are born from trees, deep inside its roots, the child is formed, he or she hears others speak and sometimes the tree can whisper back. They speak both the man-kind language and the kokiri. Other similar forests are found in the world however are not called kokiri. Kokiri itself is translated to forest-kind.

The inhabitants may never leave the forest, if they ever do this, they would die in matter of days. Only Sariah, one of the sages is able to go outside. Living like that, it is no surprise that they reject anything that is strange to them, for that reason any outsider who dares to step inside slowly will forget the reason they entered, and the deeper they go the more they forget until one day they know not who they are, cannot speak and have no face. They shrink and only know how to carve a flute from wood and play it for the rest of their lives.

Amazement filled Link when he set foot, when he learned what had happened, to know why he never had a fairy, why he was different from the rest of the children.

After seeing the world, after his many adventures and his final return to Hyrule, Link learned that a kingdom he visited when a lad was in trouble. Termina is the name, a land rich in different soils and famous for their fish. Link was informed that a barbarian horde ad arrived to the gates of the city and demanded the relinquishing of the kingdom's command. They offered a challenge which no one had taken. To defeat their leader in a battle.

Princess and warrior went to the aid of Termina. Upon their arrival, Link was taken to their camp. What he found was no ordinary horde. He saw a campsite with enormous tents, thousands of set lines with guards and watchtowers; they had the discipline and the training of a professional army.

"I demand to see you leader" he shouted at the thousands of people that were in that camp.

Silence prevailed as a set of solitary footsteps opened its way through the tents and soldiers, and after doing so, all the soldiers came out to witness the bold challenger.

Link beheld the leader simple known as General Black Mask. He dressed with a red coat with neither medals nor ornaments, loose britches that seemed a gown, a black cape with a hood he did not wear and a mask similar to the ones used in theatre. He had a very thick and big moustache and the dark black hair, short to the shape of the head.

At first, he did not seem intimidating, just mysterious, and very disconcerning.

His loose clothes could conceal any weapons for none was visible. His stare though was intimidating to the seasoned warrior. Yes, his stare was of a man of fight, the one that battles constantly and outlives his adversary for he can see the strength, measure it, match it and finally overcome it.

"I heard someone screaming, was it you?"

"You are the leader?"

"Is it not obvious? Am I to suppose that your fencing is better than your logic?" Link had nothing to say to that. He could not see the connection between fencing and logic. "is this what you send?" he asked to the far away king Kafei and princess Zelda that were watching everything close away from the horde and close to the city gates. "An ignorant? Can you even hold a sword properly?" Link did not understand sarcasm but he understood threats in any of its forms, and his reply was to draw his sword.

"Unbelievable, he really doesn't" He said this because Link uses his left hand. The general's guard was not up for he enjoyed mocking his rival. Now this he seldom did but he enjoyed so much seeing Link's guard and clothes.

"Where are you from, lad?" the general inquired with a disturbing grin on his face.

"Hyrule" Link answered with his guard still up.

"Nonsense, Hylians do not talk the way you do"

"I am from the forest"

"You must think I am a fool. Yet I have taken you for a fool first if you expect me to believe that. I know the kokiri may never leave the forest. Even if they could, they never grow."

Out of patience Link answered his question with a replant tone.

"I am a Hylian who grew up in the forest and hold the grace of the Deku tree moreover the power of the triforce and the sages."

A gasp of wonder was heard from Black Mask. He felt as though he stumbled with a diamond. He was before a legend, and he could not wait to defeat him. A love for satisfaction, not vanity.

"You are Link? I have heard so much about you. I did not know you were an ignorant but I am pleased to meet you. Now let us get to business."

Without saying anymore, with a movement of his arm, the side of his cape took off apart to the side and he reached from his waist a weapon which had the shape of a short rod and held it with both hands it would seem that it was heavy.

Ready for the attack, Link awaited black Mask's first move, suddenly the general stumbled with a thought and his eyes started to shake with amazement. While Zelda and the king watched them from their safe spot, they wondered why the two adversaries looked at each other without making a move; and why did Black Mask drop his guard.

"It can't be" he said.

"He is coming closer to Link" king Kafei held a telescopic glass. Zelda took it and whispered really low. "Please be careful"

As black mask approached Link, he held his weapon with the left hand and with the right one he pointed at Link, still approaching.

"Who are your parents?" he demanded.

"I am an orphan"

What were these questions? One moment he's mocking and the other he is interested in genealogy?

"I know you" Black Mask said with his eyes wide open. "I have seen you every day of my life and never thought you existed. I hoped you would come to me, I mourned you. I do not wish to fight you.

They were really close now, Link had his guard up and his foe was within the range of his sword, however he waited for the explanation.

Then Black Mask took off his name and revealed the meaning of his words. Link was filled with awe, shocked at the glance of his opponent's identity. It was a mirror with dark hair a moustache and a scar. The same reaction was shared between him, princess Zelda and King Kafei. The message was clear and true. That was Link's father. "Son…" whatever the general was about to say he could not finish, he met Link's sword aiming at his throat. He quickly dodged it and pulled out his weapon to block the blows directed to his person.

They had about the same speed and the same skills with the weapon, one attack was followed by another and the blocking was just as accurate.

However as Zelda gazed at them with the glass, she noticed something wrong. "What are you doing?" she thought. Link was not attacking properly. One attack could go lower, one jump could enhance the stab, or he could ram him with his shield. Zelda thought of so many things he could do, however Link did them not. Never had she seen him fight in such a stupid way. His attacks were full of anger but repetitive. At first, Black Mask only repelled the attack and yelled at Link to stop attacking. Seeing that his son would not desist, black mask took his rod and drew a flexible thin and short sword. The other part, he started spinning it and yellow balls of light started to shoot out of the rod. These balls fell to the ground and disappeared. Suddenly Black Mask jumped away from Link and as he tried to follow, an explosion busted from the ground. The explosion threw Link against a stoned wall. With his sight blurred, could not see his opponent take him by the arm and throwing him to the ground twisting it hard.

Link's scream hurt Zelda deeply. She put the hand to her bosom and hoped for this moment to end.

" Desist, son" said the general but Link didn't desist, as soon as he heard the last word, he propelled himself back and with a jump got up again, in spite of his sight that could only see spots and glitters. As soon as he did this, black mask got him again and then threw him to the middle of the patch where his bombs had landed. Link hit most of the bombs and finally was thrown unconscious to the ground.

Black mask then put his foot on Link's chest and his thin sword to the throat.

Zelda went running towards him and as soon as she got close, black mask put his sword now to her throat.

"When he wakes up, tell him that my patience ran out and will not tolerate his arm raised against me again. You tell him that he can take my side in my campaign or the end of my sword in this very field"

Zelda did not move, just wept. She was suffering for Link but didn't fear that man threatening her.

"why are you doing this?" she said.

"So that men like him can have freedom too" he said as he pointed Link.

Then he put down his sword and went to the camp, king Kafei joined her and attempted to move Link to which the princess chose to leave him but give him a bit of his potion.

Link always carried a red potion to restore his energy to full capacity, doses as small as a wet finger from that potion could satisfy his hunger.

"Take a step back, your highness, he will be up energetically" said Zelda still sobbing as she wet her finger and gave Link some of the potion. As it were, he got up and with a scream punched a boulder next to him so hard as to crack it.

Angry he went walking to the clock city. He was angry because of his defeat but most of all because he found his father to be an enemy.

Even though the king offered his house, Link chose to stay at this inn that was a property of the now queen of Termina, Anjou. She did not run it anymore still he was taken in without a cost.

Link spent his time that evening not resting but thinking. At a balcony with a huge bell, Link estimated how many men his foe commanded, how well they have been trained and if maybe Termina could confront them.

Zelda had been watching him for quite a long time and still wondered what he was thinking. They were standing side by side and not uttered a word for half an hour, until finally Link broke the silence and said" I remember the first time I was here, not long after my exit from Hyrule. I followed a skull kid who had stolen my ocarina. Was my surprise not great to learn that the skull kid had stolen Majora's mask and that this city was threatened by the moon falling over their heads for three days. Three days was all I had to prevent disaster, then again, with the help of time anything is possible.

"What happened today Link?" she asked because she was tired of Link telling his stories.

"I do not understand"

"Today you fought terribly. Is it because he is your father?

"That man is not my father" this Link said because he wanted to believe that and partly because he once was taught that your parents are the people who raise you, regardless of any kind of blood bond. As complicated as his feelings was how he regarded his own father.

"I do not wish to worry… Even though…."

"Even though, what?"

"Your fighting was the worst I have ever seen." She stood right in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You cannot tell me that he is not your father when you can clearly see it. I do not know the way you think but the impression he made was not slight."

"Tomorrow I will fight him" he turned his head from the princess.

"I cannot be so sure you will be victorious," she said with a sound of despair.

"Then be sure of this" Link turned around and looked at the princess and as their eyes met, she noticed in them a certain warmth "no one will harm you or your kingdom. No matter how terrible my performance was, whatever happens, when it comes to you, I will defend you with my life even against the giver of such."

It was always a comfort to hear him say that kind of words. His expression was as always, cold. Nevertheless, those words were reassuring; she honestly believed for that small amount of time, she would always be safe. They stayed there until they were tired. Link did not sleep; he planned the tactics to defeat his enemy.

As the two warriors kept watch during the night, they were immersed in memories. The memories of so long time ago, of so many things imagined a cruel separation, a tormented aftermath, and years of suffering from a lack.

The break of morning found them looking out the window, deciding the next move. For one it was apparent the need for the fight, the other one wished another way to solve things.

Nevertheless, nothing could move the Kokiri; nothing could stop him from doing good deeds. The next day he walked over to the same spot; Kafei and Zelda kept watching over from the safe hill.

Black mask was waiting for him.

"Do you still challenge me?"

"Is it not apparent? Am I to believe that your fencing is better than your logic?" Something told Link that he was able to offend him with that sentence. That something was correct.

They both drew their weapons, and ran in offence. Link used his sword and his shield to hit him, cut him, and ram him. Black mask mostly repelled the attacks and stepped back waiting for an open spot in Link's guard.

Black mask spread his bombs around the field, this time Link paid close attention as to where they fell. While fighting him Link kicked him and with the strong guard was thrown back, in a second fired his hookshot and scratched him on his shoulder.

With a fast spin, black mask threw a bomb Link's way, which Link stepped and exploded.

Quickly, with his very own chain he was wrapped around the lower body and asphyxiated.

Black mask kept pulling the chain harder and harder, it was too tight to be loosened or to try slipping out of it.

"Is this what you wanted?" Zelda was about to run towards him but Link shouted to stay there. Black mask saw with disgusted wonder how he protected the ruler of Hyrule.

"You want to protect your mistress. You fight me because the king asked you. Open your eyes and realize that they do not care about you." Then he pulled harder "Maybe I should do you a favour and kill them first." With those words Link broke the chain and threw his foe away to the bombs, a few exploded but shielded behind his sceptre that radiated a barrier.

Then was rammed, kicked, punched, and slashed by the master sword. It did little harm and left no mark.

Panting, both warriors caught their breath separated by 20 paces. The explosion detached the mask from his face. Sweat covered his face and his black eyes were restless for the fight. Why Link fought so fiercely with the threat of his princess was unknown to the general.

"It is repulsive to see your loyalty towards the princess." He assumed it was his loyalty. "You are a hound in their service. To them you really are a dog."

"Be silent, I will tolerate you no more. Because of you, I have not known friendship or love, but she is teaching me both" he said as he pointed her with the tip of his sword.

That silenced black mask he did not expect it moreover he hoped that Link was not talking about that one thing he feared the most.

"Are you fighting for love?" he asked.

"Aye"

With a sigh, the general dropped his guard, caught his breath, sheathed his sword and returned to his belt. Then with a heavy walk got to a point were he could see his camp this to command them to pick everything because they were leaving.

Both Zelda and king Kafei did not understand the decision taken by the barbarian's commander. Why would he leave when no one won the challenge?

Link did not understand nor did he drop his guard. Nevertheless, his father asked him to come to the stonewall where Link had crashed the day before.

"Oh, put your sword down." Said black mask and surprisingly Link did so. "As you can see, I will retreat to other land, hopefully to one where you have no allies."

"Why" Black Mask sighed and smacked his lips for his reply.

"Because I just learned you fight for love. For that reason I will never fight you directly."

Both of them walked a couple of paces feeling still the hits from the battle. Not able to know why, Link said what seemed more logic.

"Is it because I fight a righteous cause?"

The general exhaled and snickered. "No, do not be so naive." He said while turning his back on Link "I do not care about causes but my own." Then he remembered what had happened 21 years ago. He explained him that he used to be the first general for Gannondorf during the war of kindred. Throughout the war, every king wanted to have more land and there expand. The Gorons wanted some of the Gerudo valley, the Gerudo wanted to keep their full land, the Hylians wanted all of the land, and the Zoras wanted all of the water. "Gannondorf commanded me to drive people out of this harvesting patch in the middle of the field just north of the walled city." The general continued and Link listened closely while he kept a safe distance. "As I was leaving with my share of the army, your mother saw me being followed by vile creatures and monsters, she did not know that I was fighting for Gannondorf, so naturally she demanded an explanation that I should be followed by those creatures." The general paused to take a deep breath. "The look on her eyes still hurt me, yet I did not stop. The Hylians were expecting us. They did not care for the people, they rode full speed towards us, I wanted to detour them away from the huts, away from the people. That moment my army disobeyed my command and attacked frontally. After taken that field, Gannon stripped me from my command and attempted to slay me; I fled to the hut outside of the valley but could not find your mother, she was long gone. Disguised, I wandered through the lands seeking for her. Several people told me they had seen her, they told me se had a new born yet I could never find her

"She is buried in the Kokiri forest next to the Deku Tree that is why."

"I lost everything for a fight, for someone else. Now I serve no man. Now I seek a new order without rulers, just stewards with a set law. My army shares my vision. They are with me on their own accord. We shall conquer the world and give it a new order. Hyrule will have to go last, when I have an army strong enough."

"Out of sympathy? Because I love as you once did? Is that why you won't fight me?"

"Because you have love, you have immense power, something I do not." Was his answer "I lost it when your mother stopped loving me. For that reason I will not fight you directly." A moment of silence.

"I do not wish to fight you either," said Link. "That is why I wish you get killed in your campaign. I shall not want to stain my sword with my own blood."

Black Mask did not expect an act of bonding from his son, though that made it clear that it was now impossible. About to leave to his camp Link asked a question "what is your real name?

"Iro Daron Gobi, I am a native from the Southern Dominion, from the Mountains. Now that you mention it" he reached to his side and supposing he was reaching for his sword, Link drew his Kokiri sword and held its tip at his father. "This" he said as he pulled out a piece of very thick paper. It was a painting, it was Link's mother. Her eyes and hair were exactly as her son's. The painting was fading from years and folding. "This is the most precious of my possessions" and he handed it to Link. "You shall have it since you never knew her.

He left and said no more. That way they were parted and seen occasionally under the most awkward circumstances. Link never did forgive his father for having left his own family. Now then again, Link did not think about it much, even as a close relative of anger, resentment is still a feeling, and something that he lacked.

For that, the princess suffered. Oh, and did she suffer! Constantly, but continued loving Link nonetheless. How is it that she could love that man when his eyes are so cold? When he forgets about her and dedicates his life to the service of others? Love is not conditional, is the answer. Other men seemed boring compared to Link, the concern he had for other despite his lack of feelings, his sensitivity towards other people's thinking in spite he did not feel.

How many times he saved her, how many times he put his own life before her life. But loyalty or pride for his country he could not feel. What was it? What bonded him so tightly to the princess? Of this she was convinced: Link could feel, at least to a point. How much he understood, how much of that was true, is unknown. In any case, that was no reason to stop loving him. The heart shelters too many feelings; in there they get mixed up and tend to forget their own reason for being. Not everyone can love for the same reasons or in the same way. It is true that you learn that while you live, but most of the time, it is not a matter of learning, it is a matter of becoming and embracing.

She knew there was something special about Link since the first time they met. What times of youth they lived. So different yet so close, so similar. In remembrance of the many tales and songs, she heard as a child, Zelda wanted to devote herself into the care and watch of Link. She wished to do as the woman in her favourite poem: a woman who gave everything to the man she loved. She was a maiden in a castle who fell in love with a knight. This knight brought himself into the quest of conquering back the land of is forefathers. The maiden on the other hand, loved him secretly, lightened his burdens, and promised him her dedication. In that poem that she so loved, the maiden gives her life in exchange for gold to pay for his soul. That devotion was required to her people, nevertheless she chose, and choosing is what matters, Link was her decision.

So young and so prepared for the future. She was not a common girl, of this, everyone was sure. How could someone so young be so strong, could resist so many a heavy heart. The burdens loaded on her yielded to her remarkable wisdom. She did not hold all the answers or all the truths in the world. Of this she was aware, but her trust in her and the trust in those close to her to the point that it is still true, is actually remarkable.

To this day, she remained steady in what she believed. Little moment left for pleasure only the assurance from her servants could comfort her into the brightness of tomorrow. Oh yes, sometimes she would dull in her self for the wise know that brighter days are the ones you actually live and the darker are the ones to be expected. She would carry that burden in a most reverent way, putting it to the back of her head, seldom thinking about it.

Link could think about the darkest things and not feeling it. His spirit was not unbreakable though; on the contrary, quite fragile if hit on the exact spot, now that spot was as small as needlepoint wide.

This was his main weapon against evil; it was his greatest stronghold. To wield it however a loss was required hence his long lost feelings. As Link reviewed the maps time and again, a voice behind him called.

"I know what you are doing, lad" Link needed not to look behind and up, for he knew it was Impa. And there she was standing on top of an arch leaning against a wall with her arms crossed and a petulant expression on her face. "I was watching you closely that night you returned, and have every night ever since."

"I would imagine. Always crawling around the rooftops lurking in the night like some strayed cat." Said Link as he folded the maps. In addition, he turned around.

"You might think that way." She jumped off the arch and then approached him with the same expression. "Now, a cat does not have the intelligence to unwrap the secret around your nightly meeting and staying away from the princess."

A fair wind blew and along a howl. They looked at each other knowing what they were thinking. Words were almost useless. The yard was lonely during that time of the day since the soldiers were all about other businesses in the outer castle and the dungeons.

The arcs of the entrances were lonely and held only darkness and damp. A few birds chirped about the trees as the ripe fruit fell from them.

"this is madness, I will tell the princess." As Impa started to walk past Link, he wanted a moment before she would leave so he asked her.

She stopped right at the gate to the northern corridors and without opening it she heard out what Link had to say.

"my only request is that you do not tell the princess."

"that is what makes it mad. You intend to go alone."

"aye"

"I cannot permit this."

"it does not concern you"

"you are wrong about that. It concerns me all right. I am guardian for the princess; I protect her from what ill might come. She loves you for who knows what reason. Very foolish and a waste if you ask me, that is. Nevertheless, you are the protector of this kingdom and together, only together shall we avail." Links pale eyes glowed with a low beam.

"it is her protection that I seek, that and the safety of these people. For who knows what reasons, as you said. About this quest, this I will tell you: it is the only way."

Impa shook her head in disapproval. She stared at Link with her bright eyes once more as she waited for his last words, she could feel these were going to be concluding words.

"I will start this quest and find the lair of the evil king, once I do it, I will produce a massive loss in his army and creatures. Besides doing that, I will kill the evil king. I know I might not be victorious…..In the darkest corner of my mind…… of that I am sure, but I will go forth nonetheless." He pointed at her to gain her full attention and more. "You shall remain here and protect the princes and the forces of the sages and the triforce. If I am lost, you loose one man. If you loose the princess, you loose all hope."

As Link paused to select the adequate words, Impa listened closely. She was not merely indulging and bearing with him but hearing his explanation to yield if any good reason could he expose. the message was clear, it was clear that after all these years, it was the power of the sages and the triforce that conquered evil. Links strength was a key to it but it only required key strategic. Alone, he could not do it, which is why he exposed the rest of the plan she did not and could not unveil: sending Link alone to Sendrh Uchia was actually the key to defeat Gannondorf. While both generals feared the worst going to open war, the truth was that the only way to kill Gannon, since this was now the plan, for that one man, Link would have to be inside and kill him. Now his army was still deadly enough to maim the castle and the inhabitants thereof, so Link also had to kill the generals; on top of that, the danger that he had to risk is that if he did not kill Gannon, then Hyrule would not have her protector anymore.

If anything, Link would be able to kill Gannon. Link had not however the power to neither fight his magic nor trap him in barriers, but Zelda could; the seven sages could. Link could not guide nor rule the kingdom. He could not counter attack. He could not reconstruct the towns and villages. But Zelda could. The way of the soldier, of the warrior. They are required to kill to destroy. To do so they do not need to be vicious nor do they need creative skills. They have the soul of a leader, but not of a ruler. Kings needed to be warriors too, but that was a second hand requirement. Link could do everything in the way of the soldier with grand skill and beyond all expectations; he however could not learn to do the things his rulers could do.

Some monarchs often undervalue those in their service, Hyrule does not. Everyone seemed to understand their place in life. Sedition is not tolerated. New laws or revolutions come within the inner circle of leadership. Zelda once expressed her appreciation towards Link's work by the manner of a gift.

Zelda had one to the mining regions of the westward kingdoms. A great mining area was shared between three kingdoms: Eban, Lorthel and Urikia. These three kingdoms lived in peace after dividing the parts of the mining regions, which was one however they gained peace with a war.

The visit was short and pleasant yet it had something missing. Link had to go somewhere else to fight Gannon's minions. When they reunited in Hyrule, Zelda had something for him: a necklace. This had a flat diamond at the end of a thin chain. The diamond still uncut resembled a piece of glass, for this she had an explanation

"When I saw this piece, I thought about you immediately."

"What is that?"

"A diamond"

"It does not look like one"

"Yes, 'tis a strange gem. It is flat, yet uncut. Unpolished yet clear as fine glass. This is the strongest mineral, precious everywhere in the world notwithstanding the fact that it is just a clear rock. You are a rock and precious to me. To someone else, you are nothing more than a servant. If that is true then this rock is no more than the ground. May this be a reminder of my affection and the value in which I regard you."

Then she put in on him and stared at the piece that glittered to her face. Then they kissed before parting to their own duties.

Link carried that piece under his garments, not many people knew he had it; he himself did not understand fully what it represented. Many times when no one was looking, he would bring it out and contemplate it. Yes to him it was a mere rock, but then he remembered Zelda and the way she looked at him. There was something about it that made him feel uneasy and almost glad. It is frustrating for the common person to not feel. It is hard to explain not feeling the lack of feelings, the way that Link knew about feelings and not having them at the same time, and yet not feeling that pressure.

Calm around the storm, he had that gift. Zelda was not the only one restless nor was Impa and the other soldiers helping Link infiltrate into Sendrh Uchia. Though so many years had passed since he made a decision for the kingdom, king Hark could sense something different in the castle, almost as though the wind carried the secret words spoken in the night of conspiracy. One could almost hear the walls talking and revealing the intentions of men.

A knock on king Hark's door, it was Lord Radiant. He was wearing his white gown, which was his informal dress. He had been summoned by the king to discuss matters of the kingdom and matters of the heart.

"Thank you for coming" Said king hark.

"You are very welcome your majesty"

"Come closer and close the door, I feel cold," he said as he pulled his blankets tight.

Lord radiant sat on a chair next to the bed and pronounced a brief blessing in the old Hylian tongue, which was the speech in which the writings of endurance were written.

"Tell me again why we have hope"

"Because we never know what time brings, as two choices unfold before us two paths are prepared, with those we decide. Even if there were a thousand paths, there are only two ways. We either take the right or the wrong way."

"Other people seem to think their fate can be changed by the will of greater powers," the king said as he chuckled.

"Fate cannot be changed for our own path we blaze, it is as though as we try to change our own doings."

The two old men remained silent as they pondered about the words they just said. Such dreams they had before, they wanted to change their own destiny however they prepared themselves to embrace it. How can you miss your journey's end? King hark often wished he had never become ill, he longed for brighter days next to his daughter, being able to see her grow and spend more time with her, to have let her be a regular child: free, careless about the future, knowing she can depend upon her father. The question was: would have she becomes a sage without the preparation of ruling? Could have he listened to Link and help him against the evil king? Where would the kingdom be?

"Do you worry still about Zelda?" Lord Radiant asked.

"She bears with the troubles of the Kingdom and also of the heart. Whenever my responsibilities were too great, I could always find comfort in Zarahda that is something he cannot do"

"Oh, believe me, Link provides some comfort."

King Hark nodded as a negative. Lord Radiant gave him a look where he wanted to dissuade the king to think otherwise.

While these matters were in Hyrule, Sendrh Uchia awaited for the arrival of the hero of time.

"Have the docks been built?" Gannon asked as he looked outside of the enormous window into the endless red horizon, thinking about the power he would get.

"Yes my lord" Jarlon replied as he knelt behind him.

"The positions I described to you yesterday, have they been manned?"

"Yes they have"

Gannondorf smiled alone and took a deep breath. He was excited for the time of the last battle against his sworn foe. He could almost taste victory, his plan was brilliant and could not fail, every small detail had been covered, and especially for Link, the army would sacrifice itself. It was all worth it, his vengeance had waited eight long years, each breath was an eternity, every failure was another stab; for every accomplishment, Gannon would taste Link's steel again and again, he would feel powerless as day one in the sacred realm.

His minions could not understand the agony, nor his generals or even Jarlon who cared much about him; he admired the evil king for his power and the artist he was. For Jarlon, the killing was and art, blood the perfect painting; the rhythms of fighting was the dance of death; and the manner of killing a man or several men was the ultimate work of art. For that reason he dressed all in white and for that reason he stared at his kills sometimes for hours.

Gannondorf on the other hand shared not the passion for killing, only for power and revenge against the forces that imprisoned him.

"Everything is ready, now we wait until I gather all of my strength"

"My lord if I may ask, how can you be so certain Link will find us?"

Gannon turn his head slightly after taking another deep breath then he walked towards Jarlon smirking then he asked him to stand up and walk with him to the opposite window. The chamber that they were in had two main windows, torches at the four corners and a red carpet that led from the door to the throne. The stone was grey and felt as though they had been burning for a long time. The two windows were very big and would have filled the room with light had that place any light other than the dull red beams reflected from what seemed to be dark orange clouds.

"There, what do you see?" Gannon pointed at a distant storm.

"Lightning" Jarlon replied the simplest thing he saw.

"That is the power that cannot be held back. In the other world, somebody will see it."

Having said that, he went down the tower and walked alone to regain the strength in his legs. Jarlon remained inside the chamber for one minute then he went down to what would be his own chamber filled with all of his trophies. The round quarters were damp and dark, he had oil lamps that he filled also with incense; at the walls next to the door, you could see weapons that he took from the people he killed and were too valuable to him to be sold. He slept sitting in a chair with no cushions and at the feet of the chair a big bottle of the finest wine he could find, almost empty in fact. But he did not stay there very long, he went downstairs to the chamber before his own, to inform the other general about the situation; not that the other general was his superior, but he wanted to let him know about Link's arrival.

The giant steel door sled sideways to let him pass and shut right after he passed. He could see perfectly since the other general liked to have plenty of light so he kept his room filled with crystals that the Evil King presented to him. There he was sitting on the floor caressing a chain attached to other weapons; the room was filled with metals both blunt and sharp.

"He is coming, the lord is sure" Jarlon spoke with his back against the cold, rusted door.

"I hope so" the general coughed and spit blood in secret.

"You want your revenge, I'm sure"

"Yes" then he grabbed the chain and stretched it with is bare hands. "I kill him then he will suffer in the after life, for that I will kill myself"

A maniac laugh exploded suddenly, and then he coughed blood to which he laughed louder and pain seemed to merely provoke his laughter.

Jarlon left and went to the docks to supervise the construction of the ships and the positions in the watchtower. The more he saw the more he realized how his master was correct, how Link would fall into the trap by wanting to do what's wisest. He felt his contracted spear in its holster and craved the blood of Link, he craved battle at once.

"Soon" he said silently as he vanished among the construction, hammered boards, evil creatures, the violent and unclean sea breeze and into the shadows of hatred and foul souls of Sendrh Uchia.


	4. The lonely quest

**4**

**The lonely quest**

Link sent word to general Fallder about the new recruits and the guard of the castle that had been recently posted to the duty. I was hard for him to do anything without the princess' eye fixed upon him. Whatever he could do without drawing attention, had to be completely alone, this however arose suspicion. Zelda attempted repeatedly to have a word with Link, he on the other hand found an excuse not to, also to not answer the questions she could make in one instant.

But he realized then that he had been planning enough for his quest, that he was leaving the matters in order without actually having a lead to the dark dominion.

One more time he searched within his own wisdom and experience just to realize he had not the answer. Wisdom, he thought was not his own to seek, but that of the sages and of the elders, they were the ones to seek after. After all the dark dominion had not laws of it's own but laws of this world, the balance was to be respected. They could explain about it.

He had the thought of who might be able to solve the puzzle. He left the room where he had been writing the letters and orders to General Fallder and went to the stables, there he saddled Epona and left towards the Kokiri forest.

Quickly under the sun he found the entrance, kneeling next to it, he felt the cold breeze the stone filtered, as damp as always. He stood firmly and walked through the darkness and the sudden flash of yellow light at the end of the tunnel. He could hear it while in the vacuum of transition: crickets, children's laughter and the sound of flute; a curious visitor had been charged the cost of wandering inside the forbidden forest. As he walked the roped bridge above the field of the lost woods, he heard the wood creaking and far away the overlapping conversations.

There it was the village, where he grew up; the houses were the trees of which the Kokiri had been born. Many of the children ceased their conversation to gaze at the visitor, some other went inside their houses but one, and only one stood up and spoke to the tall one, not to greet him but to antagonize.

"What are you doing here?" the child asked.

"Drh'oganmish Mido" Link greeted in Kokiri.

"Don't speak to me in Kokiri, you are not one of us and never will be." Mido used the repellent tone with Link because he hated everything foreign and because Link held Sariah's affection and the Deku Tree's good graces.

"Yet it is the tongue I speak better"

"You come here again and again. I do not know why you do it. The only thing you should do is return that to us" and he pointed at the Kokiri sword on Link's belt.

"Do you want my steel, Mido?" in the blink of an eye Link took the blade and held its edge against Mido's throat. "Shall I leave in there?"

Mido slapped Link's hand away and went back to his house at normal pace. Link sheathed the sword and walked towards Sariah's home. There she was pulling out weeds from around her home. "Hello Link" she said without turning her head and still pulling the weeds. "How did you know I was here?" Link asked since he made not a sound.

"I heard you speaking to Mido" she turned and smiled. "I am glad to see you"

Link nodded his head and approached Sariah; she kept her sweet smile as she swept her green hair away from her eyes. "What do you need?" she asked as she stood up. "I should like this to be an encounter among friends with only glad thoughts; but that is asking too much. I speak not darkly but truthfully for I know you are neither familiar with such notions nor could understand them."

"I do need to ask you something." Link paid attention to the silence around them; all of the Kokiri went back to their houses. They were not intimidated by Link instead they preferred not to listen what he could say to their sage. "I am going on a quest for Sendrh Uchia"

Sariah made not a sound, as she stood motionless opening her door, she was going to get something to drink. An eerie silence prevailed, not a sound made. She had even stopped breathing.

"You say nothing?" Link finally asked.

"I have never heard you use those words, yet I know exactly to which place you're referring." Her voice and hands trembled.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"What could I say?" Sariah turned and with watery eyes she pleaded. "In such case I were talking to someone else I would say: it's not amusing. But I know you cannot talk amusingly, rather you are serious about it."

"What do you know? Is what I am asking"

"Why do you ask?" Sariah hurried inside her house and Link followed closely. He crouched to go inside the house and inside he stood up almost full body. "I am not learned in such matters."

"You are the oldest sage and the second most powerful. You cannot tell me you know nothing."

"You shall be disappointed then, for I know nothing." Link moved fast, grabbed Sariah by the arm, and pulled her close to him.

"Tell me"

Sariah could not believe what she was witnessing, Link had gone mad, she thought. "stop" she said softly. "You're hurting me" Link let her loose.

She started to sob and of course, Link was not moved by it in the slightest. He awaited her answer. Sariah rubbed her arm for it still hurt. "What I know is that you cannot go there"

"Tell me now!" Link demanded in great voice that shook his friend with fear. After sobbing some more she finally confessed what she knew.

"Rauru once told me" she spoke slowly. "That the Sacred Realm had an opposite side. He said that it held darkness. That it followed the same laws but in a different manner. The sacred realm is light, it has an entrance and a key, Sendrh Uchia does not. The temple of time marks the entrance and people abide by it. Sendrh Uchia has to be solitary, unmarked by man and where he cannot set foot." She stopped to drink water. "I remember he mentioned in his own manner of speech: Before is after and one is a half. Clarity cannot be seen. Darkness is white"

Link sat mouthing the words Sariah laid before him as she sobbed for the last time.

She dried her tears with her sleeve and then she poured herself more of the water she tried to have before; as she drank, she could hear Link's teeth grind. That had been a habit since he was a child living in that very forest.

"Why did Rauru tell you this?" he asked without looking.

Sariah laid down her beaker and cleared her throat. She felt the knot undoing itself inside her neck.

"When Gannon escaped, we listed places where he would hide."

"And you told me nothing?"

"There is nothing to say. Does that mean anything to you? We pondered it for many days, years if we find not the answer next month. Those words from Rauru were an echo, distant and distorted from the elders. Those who knew the truth about that dreadful place left no warning about its whereabouts. I say those words still without understanding them."

"I must go" Link went for the door. "Vash ek sworelo, Sariah" which interpreted is: thank you for your help, Sariah.

Eventually after Link left the house, she ran to open the door and yell at him from the frame.

"You shall never find it!" her childish voice deepened as it bounced through the meadow. "I pray you never find it. For if you find it, you find your grave! Not a resting place but a space among those not living, the undead! Where I can't follow! Is that your wish? To be without memory of your neither glory nor courage?" and panting she concluded. "My powers will not be of avail if you fall! Nor her powers!"

Link could not look back or take heed of those words. As having no feelings, Sariah's sorrow was meaningless, her words in vain were cast out into the air as pebbles into the sea where they would fall into the bottom and drown under the sands, eternal sands.

Before life was created, before the goddesses organized the materials, time had a space before time. During the dark ages before their love, wisdom and fire, nothing was of importance for nothing was. Not even hope. When having nothing, the goddesses created everything. Now as Link left for the castle, he remembered these wise words from the book of endurance and felt not hope but foresaw a glimpse of defeat.

"I have not a gift" he thought. "I might be wrong".

The words of the sages were of no immediate use; then again Link did not think it would be a simple task. He rode Epona back to the castle and alone he reviewed the new maps from Master Mirodu himself.

Men have not set foot in so many places, the world as enormous as it is has also many forgotten, dreadful and forbidden corners where even the bravest dare not to venture.

Some of the sketches that Link reviewed were made from a distance, the scouts would not explore beyond the confidence of existent trails. Darkness is white, that riddle said. However only an echo, the full riddle (assuming it was a riddle) could hardly represent a lead unto the dark dominion. Again the sketches were the places he knew; again the sketches were nothing, worthless even for the paper. No value at this moment or ever again, they had. His correspondence with general Fallder, the preparations with Lord Zorili, Master Mirodou's efforts, they were all in vain. The same had they done nothing.

And Sariah's resolution to oppose... she had never been more useless.

A wall, that's what Link faced in his attempt to kill the evil king. It was not defeat but blockades that prevented his victory. Not smitten to the ground but cast away distantly, he found himself.

Calmly, Link took the maps, crushed them together, threw them to the fireplace and with a flick of his finger ignited them into a blaze of orange fire and thin black smoke.

"That is called disappointment" he turned around and saw Impa sitting on the floor in the far corner.

"It's called a waste"

"I didn't know you could feel that" Impa stood up and approached Link.

"These papers are of no use to me and the princess cannot read ashes"

"Did you know I was here?"

Link nodded but did not look at Impa; her smile had nothing to do with the situation, it merely is her regular face.

Impa turned towards the small fire without words. She drew her sword to admire it. Never tired to appreciate the work of the royal smiths, her sword was created especially for her and her smaller hands. If a mother or a housewife, Impa would have had gentle hands the ones that express love, serenity or calmness inward and outward. Yet she was selected to protect, to serve, to fight and obey. Her hands as well as her weapon were both fit for the knife-work.

"You went to the forest" Link did not answer. "You asked Sariah about that place. What is it that you call it?"

"Sendrh Uchia"

"Yes, it means something about darkness" she continued with her sword drawn and swinging it around in a playful manner. "If you want to know about it, you should ask Rauru. He is by far the wisest of all of us. Also, he dwells in the temple of light which is only a step before the sacred realm."

Link did not answer, not being sure if Impa knew that no one could communicate with him unless summoned before his presence.

He wanted that woman away; he seemed to think things better when alone. What used to be a deficiency became regularity over the years turned to happen constantly until finally to this day is a necessity. His concentration suffered when observed and pressured for an answer; the very heartbeats of another person could bring Link out of his thoughts.

"There is a way to talk to Rauru" Impa returned her sword to the sheath. Link turned to see her. "Kaepora Gaebora, he can communicate with him."

"How do you know this?"

"You need to listen to the grass talk; it has endless stories and songs for the travellers and hermits. The very earth composed of the rocks and fresh weeds have witnessed everything below the sun, they are my brothers and hold no secrets to me."

"That is your gift, not mine. That owl, I have not seen him in years."

"But there is a way to find him. I say find him, yet you will not encounter him at will for he is not seen unless he wants it. And you cannot call for him for he answers no one. If you seek his wisdom he shall come to you. He soars in a straight line between good and evil nevertheless he offers his counsel to anyone."

"How does he counsel? You said he is between good and evil. Would he help me?"

"Help you?" Impa crossed her arms. "Do you suppose that words are of use? He was once a Sage and he chose to be exiled from any kind of quest. This decision cost him to be the enormous owl he is now. He would counsel the evil king if the king permitted this. Do not mistake self-praise with aid"

"How can I seek his counsel?" he asked wishing to end the conversation at once.

"Deep in your heart, if you have one; know this: that you cannot do this alone. Humble yourself and become open yourself to him. In simple words: feed his pride."

Link left the room after hearing those words. Impa knew that he would do that. Without fear he was not, he feared people. Link chose to stay away from everyone, she thought, because fraternizing was very complicated for him, because he feared everything he did not understand.

Link knew what those words meant and did not like it. He needed to believe his quest needed no more aid than his delegated responsibilities. But he needed to learn about the evil lair otherwise his efforts would be in vain and the kingdom defeated.

Then after walking, he remembered a fragment from the puzzle Sariah told him. One is a half, its first line said. One is part or more, or in other words: what might seem as one thing it actually is part of something bigger. The puzzle broke into meaning as he remembered the other words: before is after; that is the meaning of the circle, the eternal process of change, everything is attached to this pattern. It was simply said in a confusing way.

The last sentence: clarity cannot be seen, darkness is white… what could that mean? Link felt the meaning closer than it seemed. He knew in an effort that it was related to the first words.

Suddenly, with a memory, it was all clear. The memory was just instants ago when Impa held her sword. Link remembered that she gained that habit from the sword smith that created that sword. He said that the flaws in a blade, the worst ones are the ones that cannot be seen for they are deep and go without care. Her habit was to stare the perfect blade to her and the faults she could not see. Clarity cannot be seen because to see you need to see clearly. The same way you cannot see glass because glass is transparent. The same way fault cannot be seen to the untrained eye because they represent nothing unusual. To notice something it has to draw attention and be out of place. After knowing that, the rest was simple: darkness is white. Before is after, black is white; it is the same meaning. Before and after, black and white; for one to exist it needs the other one, before one is the other, yet they have the same purpose: to balance in order to see. Link once fought in a room full of light that blinded him. He could not see, just as in darkness.

"That is the meaning of the puzzle" Link thought. "It reveals not the location but the essence and necessities of it." Then looking out the window he deciphered the rest. "not with the aid of the puzzle alone have I found the location, but through the philosophy and knowledge of this world." He thought as he leaned towards the window that saw directly into the garden. There he saw the turquoise orchids and before them the torches flared the much-needed heat. Before is after. The opposing sides are not divided by a gap even if this is of the shortest distance; rather they are side by side. Before darkness there is light, and where life began is the entrance to where life ends. Sendrh Uchia had an entrance at the shores of Paltitren, the place of the circle of eternal beams where is said life begun.

He needed a boat to go there, he went to where a quill and wrote a message to Lord Anchorage and his fleet: prepare a ship to sail to Paltitren. He folded such message and left it for the courier. Then another thought: the fate of the kingdom lay within his hands and now it was time for the right or wrong decision. A decision that would bring victory or defeat. He sat and wrote a letter for General Fallder; there he left the instruction of what to do.

"Let us hope I did the right thing" Link thought.

He called for that courier, gave both messages with the order that one should be handed personally to General Fallder and the other one should be sent to the bay through the resonant arrowhead. Several inventors who saw the effectiveness of bow and arrow as communication artefacts had developed this sort of communication. The cross bow, was at the highest tower. From tower an arrow thicker than a bundle of spears is launched, it reaches a distant and lonely patch, there one soldier launches that same arrow towards a greater distance, that way it reaches four more points until it finally it's plunged in the soil for the soldiers to read the content of the arrow. The arrow is levelled and holed around so it resists flanking wind. The courier left for tower and then for his horse.

Link sat down on his chair and began playing the ocarina; this had the power to communicate with her. "Sariah…" Link whispered in his mind "I have found the meaning.

"No you couldn't have"

"Yes, I took me no time and little effort, for that I presume you have known the meaning all this time"

"Yes, in a way" Link heard the voice inside the head. "how did you unveil the secret?"

"Those laws apply to weapons and battle."

"Do you know how to find it?"

"Aye. All your lies cannot keep me from my destiny."

Sariah asked no more, she had heard enough; suffice to say she wanted to hear nothing more but a distress call, yet he continued. "You believe the puzzle unveils the location directly, that is a mistake. What is needed after unlocking the truth is searching the place with your own experience. You know not the location for you have never left the kingdom."

He ceased his song and thus ended communications. "All the maps you find cannot tell you about the circle of eternal beams for only those who have seen them know about them. You know nothing of this world. The wisdom of the sages has failed." he said to himself.

Link thought for a while what to do next for his parting is nigh, he needed to make preparations and again he thought of the princess and remembered the counsel Zelda gave him once. For that reason he went to the throne to speak to her.

During the sunset Zelda would stay at the throne to hear the petitions of the commoners, this she do so they could have time for their chores and plead afterwards.

The last petitioner had gone and she was ready to go to the dinning room that is when she saw Link. She felt glad of heart and requested to be left alone.

"Link…" she stood, he bowed, and they kissed.

He had other things on his mind but now given the moment he wanted to go with it.

"I was about to dine, would you care to join me?" Zelda asked smiling with her arms around him.

"Yes" That was his heart speaking and not his stomach.

They went to eat yet Link had little to eat for he particularly enjoyed Zelda's company rather than the food. During dinner, the princess often held Link's bare hand as she made an occasional comment about this and that, one story from the past or one plan for the future. After the last course of meal had been taken away she stared at the window that had the stained glass in a pale yellow, now during the night it seemed almost black. "I would suppose that tonight is one of those nights of which you are so fond. Shall we see it?" Holding hands they left for a walk under the stars without a moon. But the wind blew; the trees murmured jealousy of the walking and a wolf howled in the plains of the distance. It was similar to the night of their first kiss. It meant so much to them. It divided before and after it was a border of done and undone, thoughts and actions, truth and lie.

"I enjoy these moments, and we seldom have them."

"Zelda, I need to tell you something…" Link seemed to have hesitated yet he merely forgot the words. With an effort he remembered the man-speech word for: lavania. Meaning important or serious. "There is something important you must know. I am leaving for I am needed."

Zelda stared at Link yet her mouth moved not. It would appear she did not hear him but that was not the case. She was holding a memory of the way he looked that evening, this so she could remember him during the heavy-burdened days and lonely nights.

"You say nothing?" Link inquired.

"Not now. I sense this is no time to argue. For that I am without words. Neither shall I shed tears." she drew closer to him.

"That is good" he did the same.

They kissed again but before Link could separate, Zelda held him tightly and whispered.

"I wish to hear you say you love me"

"It would be meaningless" was his answer but for his surprise those words did not hurt her.

"Yes, I know. Now I think of it, it doesn't matter. Nevertheless I don't like it I am joyful for you stayed with me this night. I sense you love me even when you can't say it. Rather I wish to hear it because you can understand it than for my own satisfaction. "

One day he will understand, Zelda was sure. They parted to their different ways with the thought of each other close to them. The quiet and kind breeze brought the aroma of rose oils. Even the soldiers on guard could smell it. The air was not violent; rather it was swift and diligent as though it had a task to perform.

Link went for his quarters for some rest before the wearying travel ahead of him. Before doing so, he cleansed his face, took off his shirt and tunic and rubbed a soaked cloth against his tired, scarred skin. He took off his tilted-back pointy hat and undid his braid; he took the cloth and poured water on his head.

Suddenly the door opened and Zelda appeared before him. She had something to say instead of ordering him. Somehow she could not grasp it, even her mind stammered. Link stood by the basin waiting for the princess to say what she had in mind. But no words came at that moment; only she closed the door behind her, walked to Link's arms and became lost in them.

He received her with the very same gladness he had just discovered. Their thoughts became actions; their actions turned into passion. They both gasped from the stumble with each other, of their mutual desire. Both of them were drawn into bed and continued exploring while panting with the heat of their hearts. They did lie in bed for the time being and thanked time for it. Several occasions did Zelda express herself sweetly, elegantly and briefly. Link listened without intervention. "Yes, I love you." She whispered to herself with her lover's lips around her own. Embracing her love, and for the first time freed from her fears and from what tomorrow could bring. Madness, she called it nevertheless the most beautiful illusion and the closest to reality as there ever was. Verily, the moment expanded to become the day and the very hours of forever. Nothing became everything.

On the other hand, for Link it was not the freeing from anything for he never knew heartbreak, fear, illusion, or sadness, rather that night became one thing. That night was something for him, something with meaning, feelings became necessary, he for the first time could foresee that bridge Zelda spoke of before. He felt that cycle of sharing and understanding where he took an active part. That woman was not the princess anymore, nor his master. She became something else, which was not to the kingdom, but only to him: she was for his own.

It wasn't until several hours later that Link left his bed with Zelda sleeping soundly in it, covered only in the white sheets freshly placed that morning. He took his clothes on, single-braided his hair and left for the stable.

Link found Epona sleeping and required only a whisper to have her up and about. "Come with me to this last quest." He chaired his horse and left for the docks at bay knowing that Lord Anchorage would have a many things to do. He left for the more secret pass way he reserved for escaping routes. This he did it so that no one would see him. To not disrupt the sleep of the people and especially would not open the city gates. He pressed forward with a faster gallop with each stride from the Hyrule field and along the sweet smell of his love accompanying him. The aroma of last night and the one of an hour earlier. Even at the drawn of morning it stayed with him.


	5. The damned shores

**5**

**The damned shores**

The ride was not as wearying as he supposed. Riding towards the west he needed no rest from horseback riding. That path he took was neither designed for crops nor abiding, rather to travel, however even for the ignorant and petty travelling was not to be done. The plains, as he called them, were actually uneven, with tall weeds waving to the swift air; trees to the far corners seeming only spots of blurred vision; rocky roads with docile soil which had fresh grass almost covering the whole path apart from bare spots here and there.

One day and a half it took him to reach the waters. He could smell them from a distance; the call of horns and birds he heard. Downward slope he could see Pier-side city fully functioning unaware of the evil lurking to the west. He was greeted by the first guards past the main entrance although not gated the main road was guarded as well as town-crossing streets; they made way for him through the line of merchant caravans and locals. Walking into the city with Epona behind him, he saw soldiers, villagers, and seamen from different ports and through the passing crowd the port master's fort where he could find Lord Anchorage. He did so after much waiting, apparently all of he ships had cast themselves off to protect the trading companies and travelling currents. All of them, for the exception of Lord Anchorage's vessel had sailed off.

"Forgive me Master Link" pleaded Lord Anchorage. They were both at his officer's workroom looking at a map with all of the ships marked in it. "Had I received your message sooner I would have postponed one of the orders."

"What can I do?" inquired calmly.

"We could take my ship, however it is not supposed to sail without royal permission and even if we overlooked that order, we cannot sail without a destination signed in our books. Unfortunately it is a bylaw no crew will discard."

"I never thought I would see law fail"

Link sat in a chair while he let Lord Anchorage have the pressure of resolving the predicament.

Clearly, Link could not take the ship to the circle of eternal beams for Zelda would find out, as the bylaw dictated. Maintaining the course of the quest and keeping it secret seemed impossible to be done together.

He pondered it repeatedly holding his fist against his frown. He smelled the leather and the steel from his gauntlets, which helped him concentrate. Leather and steel, a smell more appropriate for battle than rose oils.

"Show me on the map the extent of the circle." He requested suddenly. Not startled but taken from deep thinking Lord Anchorage returned to the table and pointed to the map to show him.

"It is not an exact measure, but I believe this is the area." He circled his finger on his map and Link noticed a patch of small dots on the map, which that finger scratched.

"Those islands, are those the keys?"

"The Keys?" the sailor repeated as he would with a foreign word. "Are you referring to the Yimtag Keys?

"Aye"

"Those are the Yimtag Keys, all right. Several leagues away from the circle, they are. There is an island in the middle. Men call it the Dungeon Island; whether it has been properly named I have no idea." He turned to a cup of tea and sipped.

"I have travelled near the area several times; I heard they hold warriors for hire as well as ships."

"Pirate filth… I would gladly hang them today or any day." He turned to sip again until then he feared one thought. "Would you plan to hire a ship there?"

Link nodded without looking at him. He kept staring at the map looking for a route close to the keys, something they could record in the notebooks, report to the princess and arise no suspicion.

"Being close to that island is an invitation for a raid." Link did not answer. Lord Anchorage's cup clanked on the dish. He placed both hands firmly and raised his voice. "I shall not see my ship or my crew in such danger, an unnecessary danger, that is."

"I would sail to Sendrh Uchia in it if needed." Link barely turned.

"I shall never permit that, master trainer." He yelled.

"I shall cut your throat if I have to!" Link stood up, he slammed his hand on the table and placed the other over his knife. Some curious soldiers gathered around the door trying to grasp some of the conversation. Inside both men stayed their ground, unwilling to recede.

"That night, master Link I spoke not my mind. This is the time for a confession. That is: I do not share your vision of this battle. I do not believe you shall triumph over Ganon and his army. Desist in your attempt. Wilfully take our strength and the strength of the army, and the sages and the triforce. Do you not trust time?"

Link didn't even listen. He took no bother in understanding his words and left them to be noise suspended in the air.

"Set course for the north eastern trade and passing route. Send royal warn about this course and explain one of the ships needed reinforcement against pirates. You can release me within a hundred leagues and leave me to swim. I brought something with me." From a satchel Link took out a mask with the shape of a Zora, this he acquired when a lad. The mask had the powers to transform him into one of the fish-people with all of their powers. One hundred leagues could be done in this shape.

Lord Anchorage beseeched Link to change his mind; it had no effect. He prepared the crew and in the morning they sailed for the trade and passing route. The sea was unsteady as they left port and tamed only when in the open part of it.

They continued for several weeks until they reached the dropping point. Link was given a special bag to put his gear in while transformed, a rope since the bag would float and a direction towards the unseen destination. "That way" said a seaman pointing with his finger into the horizon. Link put on the mask and transformed then leaped off the ship and in a horizontal whirlpool he swam towards the Yimtag keys.

Three hours later he walked in the sands of the Dungeon Island. He could see why they called it that. The island was full of wanted men both those that escaped prison and the ones that escaped or sank galleys. The even had a heap to put one's broken chains upon arrival, this to provide steel to the smiths for they could not easily get it.

The docks were in a deplorable state, the wood seemed to be held only by some miracle, it creaked with every step sounding like a very big frog, some decks even had holes no one seemed to care about; there were more ships than berths to tie them, ships were full and even out-capacitated with men cheering and cursing to anyone who dared staring, one sailor drank a whole pint in one gulp then threw a beaker towards Link towards calling him a wretched pale skin bastard to which he paid no mind. The shores had many huts but amid the huts a path went straight towards the port city. This took almost the entire island. It was a city built with the trees and full of everything needed for the stranded criminal. The streets were difficult to walk. So many people, so many drunks injured, so little helping them and so many others taking their belongings. Right at the end in front of what seemed a jungle laid a tavern even more rudimentary than the rest of the huts, though bigger. Link walked into it knowing he could find at least information.

Inside, an arrow shot at him quickly met his hand and after snatching it he broke it and flicked the tip at the man who shot it. The arrowhead hit the man's hood revealing his face. A regular thief who liked killing from afar, the coward left in a rush tripping and stumbling against the crowd.

Link turned to the bar and talked to the owner, this man was bald, old and perhaps almost blind for he guided himself touching the bottles and the wood.

"You, come." Link called for him and touching the bar he went.

"What do you want to drink?"

"I need information."

"Would you like to talk? Then go outside. In here I serve drinks."

Link pulled out a rupee and put it on the bar. "Take this and give me anything you have."

That gem drew the attention of the thieves. One of them attempted to grab it but his arm Link held back. "Do not try to steal from me." Link sounded out and before the man could pull a knife and stab him, Link twisted his arm and threw him to the door, which opened it with a fall and out of sight. Quickly the others joined; Link kicked the closest one on the knee, this man fell to the ground. Another one tackled him without dropping him Link grabbed this one by the clothes and threw him to other two that fell over the man on the floor with a damaged knee. And finally a large one behind Link drew a knife and with his might drove it to Link's back, the Hylian soldier spun out of the way, drew his own knife and stabbed his foe to the side. The large man fell instantly and Link turned around to others that stared and had placed a hand to their weapons.

"Desist if you wish to live." Link pointed at them with his stained Kokiri sword. In spite of not understanding what he said all of the men sat down and resumed their conversations or whatever they were doing. Link turned back at the owner who had been seeing everything.

"Here is your drink, sir" and he took the rupee. He stared at it and asked the colour.

"Red" Link replied as he drank from the pint, there he could taste something familiar buried amongst the different ales.

"You must be a soldier from one of the eastern kingdoms, perhaps Hyrule?"

"Aye."

"Yes, I thought that. You see even though I have never left this island I know the entire world. Yes the entire world has travelled through here."

"I need a ship for hire." Link interrupted the old man.

"A ship?

The old man finished cleaning the bar from the blood and wine spilled by the pirates. He then laughed nodding his head as though as something amused him.

"Strange fate or luck I may say. No one in this island would share that knowledge with you. And no one inside this place commands a ship. But I do share it with you." The old man responded. "Did you come through out eastern or southern docks?"

"The one a path leads straight for here."

"Those are the southern docks. You saw many ships there, crowded, full capacity and even more?"

"Yes."

"Those are the only ships for hire. The rest on the eastern docks belong to the men that own this island and everything around. The ships on the southern docks dwell there for their crews are safe aboard. They wait for traders or travellers, anyone they can rob. They you can hire. Hire I say though a contract you will not get. You can pay them or kill their captain and for that you may take them to sea, suggest a destination and be dropped there. You will have no authority on the men or the ship. You may not change the course nor come back with them. Perhaps individually you may hire some men or gear but its price is a separate issue. In any case be it by blade or prize, you shall not have trouble hiring the ship."

Having said that Link left for the docks. He did not look back nor take notice on the people fighting or being merry or simply walking by. Night was at hand and he needed to sail at once. Finding the circle would be a simple task, perhaps even finding that entrance.

Then again it occurred to him, what of Zelda? This was a terrible time to think about that but he could not help it. Her aroma was with her again; those rose oils were eternal as though as they had always existed even before he was born. The smell had a name and it was Zelda. They were royalty, they were beautiful and desired. He tried to forget it instead he wondered what she could be doing at that moment. How could she react? He pictured her as he walked among the most undesirable people on the face of the earth his love at the throne listening caringly to the commoners. He could picture her working in her garden, taking care of the flowers that gave him his lead. The way she walked around the castle; the nights they spent together simply talking or even arguing.

Link saw a ship with a celebration aboard and that brought him back to his senses; he knew that ship was perfect for the work.

He leaped onto the deck and with the stomp of his heavy boots, celebration ceased. Every one of the seamen turned to see him. He only resembled a shadow in the night; the fire-pots did not light him enough only the small glare defined his silhouette. Many of them stood and drew their swords. A circle was formed around the singing men and a roast and open barrel of wine. One painted man stood up and dared to speak and for the moment hold his men. "Who are you?" he inquired without holding arms. Link walked closer towards the fire and finally the light shun on him. Several men on the back laughed at his attire. Apparently the painted man was the captain; he wore a simple waistcoat, he had no shirt on and his britches were short, just below the knee. He held two curved swords on his back scabbards crossed. His face was painted in the manner of tribes from the far continents of the south. He also wore a piece of red clothing with a tribal emblem around his head that served no purpose than to distinct himself as commander.

Link threw at him his bag of rupees; the captain snatched it in mid-air. "I require your ship" he stated. Even when the captain would not say anything, Link knew he had not understood his words. "I require your ship" he spoke in a clearer manner and louder voice. Having said that the captain opened the bag and surprise at the content. He showed other men beside him and he agreed to the proposition. He yelled at everyone to go to stations and called them filthy leeches.

The ship set to sail after an hour. By then all of the men had put out the fire eaten the roast with full hands before it and drank the barrel even earlier and left for the circle.

It took them another hour to get past the docks dodging the other vessels and stopping occasionally to argue and threaten anyone who even looked at them. Finally they took wind and sailed directly. The winds were favourable and the waters easy to travel, after all the seas at that time of the year presented quite a delight only if his quest was as delightful.

The travelling time came to a week, during which Link had to punch most of the crew for food or water for he had no money left and wanted to leave them with the same men as he sailed. His fighting skills suggested the men that it was best not to irritate him. More than once did the captain cross a word with him as he saw that Link was more than met the eye. They even shared one or two experiences about being from tribes enclosed within their selves. It was during one of those conversations that they saw the circle. Even at a far distance could see them as a small glare, one that could almost fit in a hand. It seemed to connect heaven and earth by a small golden knot.

The captain asked Link his intentions.

"I am looking for evil, to fight it."

"Evil?" the captain asked. "Do you plan to kill us all?"

"No, you and your crew are nothing to me. This evil threatens the Hyrule kingdom and all of the earth. Your ship is hardly a hardship for occasional travellers.

The captain burst in laughter. Links words were very amusing to him. Offended he was not.

"Why the circle?"

"It is complicated." Link sighed trying to find the correct words. "The place I seek needed an entrance where no man would ever set foot."

"That is true; they say that under the eternal beams an abyss lies. Only darkness at the bottom you shall find if there is a bottom."

Link then thought about the words of that pirate. Darkness below the light, he alleged. A contrast; it was an entrance.

If morning or not, they reached the circle of eternal beams. All of the men marvelled at the yell from the watchman. "Look at the water!" he shouted down to the crew. They went to both sides and gazed at what they could not believe. They thought they saw lightning inside the water. Below the surface, where the unclear disturbed water became dark by the abyss, they saw lightning. Flashes, enormous strings of light weaved about as far as the eye can see.

This did not surprise Link and he cared not about it. But where was the entrance? He wondered. The Lightning was an obvious hint, but it expressed neither a way in nor the means to do so. He thought about it for a minute and thought it was best to be immersed in it. At least for a while, maybe as a Hylian Link could do more than as a Zora. After all the entrance had to be found by accident as it was more likely to had been found by mistake rather than by diligent search. He took a deep breath, the satchel and told the captain to leave at once, and then he went into the water headfirst. The weight of his weapons brought him down fast. There he saw nothing; not even the lightning could reveal the surroundings. An illusion they are, Link thought. The darkness surrounded him, he was guided by his instincts, and he let himself be swollen by the deep at least as much as his lungs permitted him. Then he felt something, as if something went past him, his ears resented the distance and perceived a muffled sound. Then he felt his legs unwillingly being taken away by some force, it was a current to a side that swallowed him. He tried to fight it and to breathe again went for the satchel but its power disabled his hands so he could not reach the mask. The force brought him to more darkness, bubbles from his last breath was all he could hear. He lost consciousness and then hope.

He opened his eyes and beyond the water surface, from the bottom he saw crippled light, red and dark orange. He put on his Zora mask and caught his breath again. Swimming he saw the shore, slowly he approached to walk the sand. His head was out and he could see it. Docks, creatures, monsters and a tall tower made from stone. He could see many ships to sail and beyond he saw a cave where the ships would find passage. "That is the way I came." He acknowledged to himself. There, he was finally in Sendrh Uchia.


	6. The fall of a mighty one

**6**

**The fall of a mighty one.**

He came out of the water and took off his mask. The island seemed to be fairly large. There was a tower in what seemed the centre of the island; he could distinguish the different levels that had even without windows. The tower summits on a rocky hill that had watching posts at the four corners of the hill. The improvised docks were quite a simple rack enough for the boarding of equally rustic ships. He hid behind a boulder and saw ranks of creatures and sails set on the ships. They were lined up waiting for the sailing order far off a lonely cave made a lump on the flat sea perhaps that was the physical entrance above surface… maybe that was good enough. "They are ready for cast away." He thought. "That means the evil king must be healed completely". A dreadful thought that passed without leaving prints.

Link saw the ranks were distant; the docks were at an extension from the island. Eight ships he counted with the capacity of perhaps 140 monsters each. He then minded of the monsters that could fly and others. How many there were? Most likely the fleet was to be divided and set a force for another one to join afterwards. Regardless, the portion of the army would be destroyed that very same day, no reinforcement move will ever happen.

From the satchel he picked out ten bombs he brought along. The ships would be destroyed as well as the docks. The bombing targets had to be picked carefully, to inflict as much damage as possible to prevent their departure. He stepped on, looked for flying sentinels or any guards around the docks that could stop him, and then he planned a path around the ranks, a hidden path among the large boulders that created a fractioned stone wall.

Around the centric pinnacle he ran towards the docks leaving a trace in the sand. He jumped over other rocks and threw the bombs to the ships. No monster saw him but all of them saw the explosions. The wood flew burned and sank; Link shot his hookshot to a tower and reeled himself to the top. Many of the man-like monsters shot arrows at him, a few bat-like few towards him. Link slew with his master sword the guard on top and shooting his hookshot again he swung to a rocky formation.

Many of the ranks followed him. Link ran as fast as he could. From the satchel he fetched the last bomb, this he threw at the ones behind him and with a lit arrow he exploded it in their midst.

He continued running and from all over the monsters came out. Any that ventured to attack him lost a limb and its life. Reaching the tower wall he went on looking for the entrance. The gates opened and he went in. many arrows and knives tried to hit him but met the closed gates.

Inside he saw the tower was similar to the one eight years ago in a different future the evil king built. It was roughly made from stone or at least that is what it seemed. The circular room made the cylindrical tower stand out as much more spacious as it seemed from outside. This time there were no ornaments, no paintings, no vases and the staircase from the corner had not carpet. Also he noticed there was no ventilation nor light, and then again the dull light from outside would be ineffective to illuminate indoors. Before he could step up, he saw Ganondorf descending.

"Welcome" he said bowing only his head; his voice did little echo that would freeze someone else's spine. "This is my humble lair."

"Have you been waiting?"

"Certainly, we all have." He grinned lightly as his voice turned even deeper and his speech paused.

"Is this a trap?"

Ganon smiled large and his big brown eyes turned the other way.

"This is no trap. It is a confrontation. You are here because you want to slay me; I've waited here because I believe you cannot win without the sages. On my part there is revenge; you want to save Hyrule."

Link passed by him and went up the stairs. Gannon followed him closely, as though he was the guest.

"You know I am an illusion."

"Aye, I will not waste time with you."

"You know what you have to do, yes?"

"I have to fight some of your minions before."

"That is correct." They reached a steel door. "Beyond this point you shall confront four of my generals. They are skilled warriors who delight in carnage. I suppose you shall kill them but it is I who takes your life."

"Before I begin, will you tell me, what is this new power you hold?"

The illusion turned more serious without dropping the grin. He stared at Link amazed at how cunning he had become.

"It is rather simple. This power I do not hold as mine, rather I wield it in a manner of a weapon. It works in the same way as the triforce. This because it is the opposition of such power."

Link began to fathom the laws that governed this world. As the riddle said, as he learned, opposition in all things. That is the only way things work. Only through the use of different extremities can this world exist or be extinguished.

"I reached this place when in search of assassins for hire. The current swept me and when I woke up, my life was restored. I felt better even if my body was injured. Recently I unburied the treasure. It was a circle, flat and black. It looked like a rock, except it was polished and suddenly it made my wishes come true. Whatever I thought or see in my mind this made it realize. Without the constant use of my magic, I began to heal. Creatures are beaconed to my island or even created with the use of the circle. Anything I can create using this." Ganon's figure raised its arms in solemn triumph. "You shall die today and my will shall come over the whole earth."

Link waited for the speech to end. Gannon laid down his arms and said his last remarks. "Behind this door is general Khiloer he is my only beast general. He does not talk much but you shall find him entertaining. He is a dodongo, the last of his kind. Do you remember them?" and the figure vanished.

The dodongo were reptiles that ate anything in its path. They breathed fire and grew much. However they are stupid creatures that cannot lead. How could it have become intelligent? Link wondered. Not caring, he drew his sword, fixed his shield on his arm and went into the chamber to meet his destiny. After the door was shut behind him, he observed the enormous room he had entered. Very damp, hardly lit; his foe used this to hide. Link went to the central part of it. He heard a growl moving back and forth and bouncing against the walls. The beast spat something and it hit the shield, the corrosive slime slipped off the steel leaving a deep stain. Out the shadows was the general; a reptile indeed he resembled a kind of lizard with long arms and legs. It came out to the light walking on four but it stood tall, twice the size of Link.

Both rivals ran against each other, Link extended his sword and the general his claws. A clang was heard and a spark was seen. As they fought a hollow noise was heard from the clash of steel and nail. It penetrated the stone, the steel all the way through to the top. An all-seeing-eye was left for the king to see the confrontation.

"There he is, taunting the beast."

"I see it," said Jarlon. "Do you suppose that Khiloer will fall for it?"

"Yes" Gannon only answered that.

As the fight went on, the beast growled, roared, hid and tried to bite Link. He on the other hand protected himself against the slime, teeth and claws with his worn out shield.

He wielded his sword and scratched the animal without inflicting any real injuries. Skin hard as steel, reflexes as a cat; he let not an opportunity for a proper blow. Link thought of an idea. With his hookshot he swung around shooting it to the ceiling, Khiloer followed snapping his mouth and trying to reach his prey. Link then threw down his sword and it nailed the monster's foot to the ground. The roar was unbearable to hear; still Link pulled out an arrow that he drove down the opened mouth. The spell created a blue glare that went down the wide opened snout, the cracking sound of ice echoed inside as Link maintained his stand on top of the lizard. Then he jumped down, dodged the scratches from the sharp claws, took the master sword and stabbed the beast several times before smiting the head off. Link removed the sweat from his face while he walked away from the carcass

From the other side of the room another iron door slid open. The hero of time once again triumphed over his foe and went up the stairs to the next room. There the image of Gannon was waiting.

"You did well." He leaned towards the wall.

"How did it become that thing" Link inquired for he never saw a dodongo fighting like that.

"That beast came to me. Intelligent he was before meeting me; however he needed to become more skilled. For that I granted him to become bigger, to walk with two feet as well as growing stronger."

"Who is here?" Link pointed to the closed door.

The image vanished leaving the door open for Link to go inside. As he did he saw nothing for inside was pitch black. Little did the outside torches reveal beyond the frame, when the door closed; nothing but the most absolute darkness prevailed.

A deep voice came from across him, perhaps on the opposing wall. Loud and clear he heard it in an imaginary straight line. It was not as Ganon's, this sounded youthful and almost innocent. His speech resembled the one of the captain that brought him.

"Welcome, you are Link, yes?"

"That is a witless question." Link replied with his guard at ready.

" Yes, it is. It was not my intention to appear to you like that, I just was not sure it was your name. I hardly hear it for they call you mainly the Hyrule dog." Link heard a chain being dragged. "My name is General Zun Dialat. I say general though I am not. I am skilled as a warrior however not a leader."

"You fight in darkness." Link observed also he calculated the dimensions by the echo of his voice, strangely enough when Zun Dialat spoke there was no echo. " I have done this before and it will be of no avail." He quickly stringed an arrow and shot it to the ceiling. Strong light shun for a moment all of the room bouncing against the stone and with it going out he saw momentarily his foe, which neither moved nor seemed surprised. Link was not sure but it seemed as his face and eyes were completely covered.

"You fought Argul, in Urikia, yes? It was a formidable adversary, they tell me. He could see in the most absolute darkness. You slew him by blinding it. Well, I shall disappoint you. I am already completely blind.

The chain Link heard before, he heard again. It swirled around and with the sound he dodged it. It attacked him once and again, cracking with every breath almost as though as the chain was alive. Then it hit him on the chest, he tumbled a few steps back and then it grabbed his feet. An incredible force dragged him and threw him against what seemed a table. The wood broke and a few splinters penetrated his flesh. He could neither feel his sword nor shield in his hands. Suddenly the chain hit his stomach, his face, his chest and grabbed him by the arm. It seemed it was a whip and not a heavy chain.

He was dragged eleven paces before reincorporating and pulling the chain. His adversary threw (perhaps) another chain to his feet and made him fall.

The warriors continued the struggle pulling the chains. Link was stronger; however he could not grip the chain before he was thrown down again or whipped by it.

The chains wrapped Link's neck and Zun Dialat pulled as hard as he could and also dragged him around.

Gripped so hard, without much option, Link attempted to break it but could not even put his fingers around it. Without his weapons, his last resort before strangled to death. "Meriar oek sil" He yelled punching the floor, a dome of fire surrounded him and blazed around, by this burning Zun Dialat. The general ran around in a frenzy trying to put out the fire consuming it. He rolled and yelled for mercy. With the glare, Link could see a shine of his sword and shield. He took them to slay Zun Dialat in the manner of a soldier's death. Link drove clean his blade into the general's back still burning.

The iron door opened and he left the room. Light began to hurt his eyes, after a while he realized he was bleeding from his arm. Not a deep wound, only bigger than he imagined without need to sort it.

Gannon's image waited for Link to reach the next door. He grew impatient for Link's pace was slow, much slower than he expected, nevertheless he never thought his generals would put quite a fight considering the strength of the hero of time.

"I warned him about your spell." Said the illusion. "I gave him clothing similar to your tunic." He said pointing at Link's red fireproof tunic. "He assured me that he would kill you immediately. I believed him."

"Why do you put your general's in such a punishment?" said Link catching his breath and staring daringly. "Why don't you come and fight me at once?" Gannon smiled and chuckled as he lowered his head.

"Patience, I say. You shall get to me in due time. For now, I shall like to reunite you two." He looked to the door. "A confrontation you had a while back made me realize that this man should join my ranks. He has longed for your arrival. You shall be surprised." That is the last thing he said before he vanished.

Link went inside the door; inside the well-lit room he saw the metals hanging, lying on the floor and embedded in the walls. There he was, a familiar figure sitting at a corner, holding a bag of rupees, this judging by the noise of it. He threw and caught it several times before speaking and coughing. Gannon spoke the truth, at this moment Link became surprised.

" Bashmulia…" the bag of rupees went straight to him. Link dodged it and before he knew it, his foe was already before him, erect as a rock and smiling.

"You came!" he yelled and bringing blades to his hands attacked Link. He continued attacking with both blades, he coughed and spat blood to the Hylian.

Link got rid of his non-magical gear and threw it to the ground. Bashmulia gathered all the metals around him and in a rain and frenzy of iron he cast them towards is rival.

The arrows, blades, rods and chains all in a whirlwind chased Link who used the Kokiri and master sword to deflect the attacking objects. Then he felt his hands stopping too. He let loose of the gauntlets and slashed them apart so they couldn't be used. In the middle of the noise and clattering of metal, a voice was heard. "You shall die. I have waited for my revenge too long." He yelled and coughed again.

To the far top corner of the room, the all-seeing-eye kept watch and projected this to a mirror up in the evil king's throne quarters.

" Bashmulia is fighting with all of his might and hate."

"Yes." Said the evil king. " Bashmulia hates him almost as intensely as I do. Nevertheless Bashmulia has lost his mind, he is demented."

" Why do you say that, my lord?" Jarlon inquired for he saw no change in Bashmulia behaviour.

" He has been to death and back, he has known only defeat upon departure. He lived a reclusive life in this world without contact with anyone. When he died his only memories were the steel and shame. Day after day his longer lasting memory was defeat, time and again."

As the two warriors clashed inside that room full of mineral, Link thought of one way to defeat him. Another trick would not be enough, he needed something else, something that Bashmulia could not expect and moreover he could not defend against. He tried the same as he did with the warrior prior to this battle. The dome blazed around and set nothing on fire. Bashmulia had covered himself in chains and a wall of metals that shielded him against the flame. And with a move of his hand the columns shattered and the pieces went straight for Link. His shield hit him and the slime still on it burned his face. A bundle of arrows missed him by just an inch as well as the chain missed his neck.

A rod from behind him hit his head and immediately a blade wounded his leg. He knelt with pain and dodged the rest as he stood.

Bashmulia stared from afar laughing at the spectacle. He enjoyed it very much, however he became unsatisfied. It was not good enough, seeing it from a distance he had endured pain and suffering just to go back to the world. The prize was far too high for merely watching.

The metals halted its flight, they were suspended in the air as Link shielded behind his unspoiled blades crossed against him.

All of the metal turned to its master and covered him completely with it. The armour was not heavy for he commanded the materials and lightened the burden. The spare weapons were set aside for he needed them not.

They both stared, the piercing eye through a mail helm against the cold stare. One against the other, they ran with swords up high, lusting the blood of the enemy. Each other's arms clashed, they were wielded with top skills. Then Link's arm was wrapped around chains and twisted. Bashmulia hit his opponent in the head and then turned to hit him several times in the face before letting it go and kicking him away.

Link hit the wall and his blades fell from his hands. He almost went into slumber from the bang to his head. Bashmulia laughed hard and hacked blood.

" Last time I fought you I was defeated for you learned my weakness." With his chains he snatched the bag of rupees and opened it. He pulled a blue one and stared at it. "These are the rupees that you used to kill me. This is the prize of my life. I have always been fond of rupees; perhaps they are my favourite gems. Now you have nothing to defeat me and yes, you are helpless without your weapons."

Having heard that Link leaped to his feet and strode towards his enemy yelling "No!" Bashmulia brought up the Hylian shield in front of him. Link cut right through the shield and his foe. The shards of the armour and shield dropped and Bashmulia laid dead once more.

The evil king chuckled; Jarlon could not believe his eyes.

" Did you see that, my lord? He parted his own shield and the mail! He didn't even have the gauntlets on."

"Is it a surprise? Coming from the lad that defeated me?" Jarlon bowed even more as he realized how improper his remarks were.

"Link has absorbed some of the power from the gauntlets. Also he holds great strength. When weakest, Link might find his greatest strength. Remember that as you fight him." Jarlon stood high and before he left the evil king reminded him. "Do not let him any advantage. Beware of his every move. He will not have magic enough for the spells still watch his words. If you wish to live past today you shall kill him the moment you see past his guard."

As the evil king commanded from his throne, he watched at Link struggling to reach a vial, its content was some of the red potion. The glass was broken and most of it leaked during the battle still it was enough to stop his bleeding and recover his health.

Link now wore no gauntlets, bore no shield and his clothes were torn apart. He gathered as many arrows as there were unbroken and returned them to the quiver. His bow had been almost useless during battle; still he carried it to fight. As he continued onward to the last general's quarters, he thought about his situation.

Last time he fought the evil king, they held such quarrel in Hyrule; the tower was full of materials for his aid. Link could use them to make potion or even arrows. But only stone and dirt dwelt there. He had found water and salt as the only elements from his world. None of that would be helpful.

Finally he reached the final room before his confrontation with the evil king. He had fought little time considering his foe. He had been victorious in spite of the warriors so brave and skilled he fought. Yet he stood alone; vulnerable to the twist of fate.

The door sled sideways and standing in front of him was Jarlon. He took off his cape and revealed the contracted spear, his breastplate shined with the brightness of his crystal torches.

"So you are Link. I have heard so much about you however never seen you before me."

"Who are you?" Link inquired with his sword at ready.

"My name is Jarlon." gave a small bow. "I am the first general for Ganondorf King. I am originally from the border line of Quiavaughn in the late empire of Xilias."

"Yes, the rue people. You must delight in battle. Surely you have done this since merely a lad.

"You are correct." He said without drawing any weapons. "I am to carry out the will of my master, to kill you that is."

Then Jarlon pulled his spear and from his back he drew the shield. Link circled around him, he sensed there was something more to that pale warrior than met the eye. He examined his guard which seemed common enough, his weapons seemed to have nothing special and nothing of the room could be used for attacking. What, he wondered could Jarlon use in his favour? Link brandished his sword vertically and Jarlon evaded it moving sideways without problem. Quickly Link slashed horizontally but his opponent moved his arm out of the way with the rest of his body already safe. He attacked once and again yet without coming close to his target. Even when his foe clearly feared the master blade, he could easily avoid it, he even took precaution as to not repel the attacks. Link made a series of attacks first he tried a kick, repelled by a shield. Quickly ramming with his shield, but counter-rammed. A piercing blow to the face, Jarlon moved it and pushed Link away.

"He dodges my blade." Link thought. "How can he do so without blocking?"

Link tried to jump to enhance his blows twice yet this proved Link's attacks being slower. Jarlon avoided the stabs and Link chased him closely being body close to body. A vertical slash, quick horizontal, stab, hilt-hit, low kick, shield-swing. Jarlon evaded these attacks easily enough as though he knew they were coming. His small spear was not put to use. This until after one slash, Jarlon jumped out of the way and in mid-air he expanded his weapon as to be shooting it, the tip tore Link's shoulder. The metal slit the flesh enough to bleed abundantly. He put his hand to the wound and still wondered about Jarlon's fighting skills as he gazed at him, and there he was standing proud with his spear to full length, admiring the little blood splatter on the rod. Link then shot his hookshot. The tip went straight to Jarlon's face but he dodged it, quickly turned around and dodged the piece of rock the tip reeled. Quickly he took his spear and swung the head to Link's side that he blocked with his sword dropping his other weapon. Jarlon then spun around turning his back to Link, shortened his spear having it fall to the thigh. The Kokiri moved away from harm but the spearhead scratched his leg. It was a costly move but worth the pain. It was not speed but a spell in those cold blue eyes, something that allowed that pale man to see the moves notwithstanding the swiftness of them. He stood up, hoping to be able to attack him from behind or paralysing his eyes or even his legs. He had not enough magic for any spell, even if he did there was no sureness that Jarlon was prepared to shield from it.

They fought again, with their own choice of attacks, Link tried different techniques he learned over the years, and however they could not lay a finger on Jarlon.

Meanwhile the man of Quiavaughn remembered the day his father died. He was twelve years old; they were attacking a company on patrol. His father took several weapons but his choice was always the spear. "Listen son, the spear is the perfect weapon. You can throw it, you can attack and defend with it. So many uses in the right hands, it has. Regrettably there is one inconvenient; it is bound to break for no kind of wood could resist the clash of bare steel." Then he took a spear and threw it against the company. The projectile went straight for the last horseman and it swept him off his horse. The leader halted the line and ordered half of the men to go find the culprit. The imperial guards rode to the distant iced hills where Jarlon and his father hid. "Leave Jarlon, and watch how to kill." He obeyed and went into hiding among the snow, covering himself with a white blanket. The soldiers rode hard against him. The rue man took two spears and threw them into the fogged air striking true against the first two. The others opened way riding faster after spotting him, they flanked him and brandished their swords without touching him. He jumped on one of the horses and kicked the rider off the animal. Then rode against the remaining two and pulling a knife from his belt and an extra sword from the riding chair, he plunged the knife on one and decapitated the other one with the sword. At the same time, with perfect aim he completed his work. He went down from the horse and admired the bloodshed. "This is the art of killing, son." He said in a loud voice. As soon as he said it an arrow pierced his shoulder and threw him to the ice. As he turned around he could hear the rest of the company riding hard against him. Before he could reach a weapon, one of the soldiers jumped on him and held him down. He tried to ward him off but the soldier grabbed the arrow and twisted it to produce pain. The rest of the soldiers got off the horses and started kicking him and hitting him with the rods or the hilts of their swords. One of them roped his throat and tied the other end to the horse. He rode the horse hard and dragged the already beaten man around the rough ice. He halted and the beast stepped on his victim already unconscious; the captain took his sword and beheaded the inferior man.

Jarlon saw everything amazed in the intensity of his father's death. He never imagined that the soldiers could make such a stand. For that he respected them more and swore to kill that captain one day.

Not long after that he infiltrated their post and beheaded that very same captain. Years later after discovering the warring state of the empire, he went to seek the other kingdoms and showed them a passage through the wastelands. Five years later the emperor was dead and the rue people left the boarder line of Quiavaughn.

Now, at the present day he could do it again. Bring destruction to another kingdom and gaining the respect of his Lord.

Link stood a guard, swung his sword three times in preparation for an attack and charged for proximity. Slashed the air horizontally Jarlon moved sideways to the right and Link quickly drew his Kokiri knife and threw it against his foe. The knife penetrated Jarlon's shield but missed his flesh. Then he quickly threw it to Link with him tilting backwards dodging the projectile and running against the culprit in a slashing spree. The blows reached no flesh, instead three consecutive cuts made a hole in the wall that crumbled outward into the shore. One horizontal blow Jarlon stopped with his full spear, however before his foe could press on, he moved out of the way and contracting his spear he drove it through Links side. Cold, he felt. Abruptly and unexpectedly. Before he could react the tip was then driven to his stomach. The pain was unbearable. Then smiling Jarlon kneed Link's already bleeding stomach kicked his face with the same leg deployed his spear and hit him with the rod. Link was thrown against a wall and there he splattered blood.

Jarlon was about to slash his throat but Link ducked and only the tip of his hat that went flying to the far corner of the room. Link's wet hair fell, with the braid cut undone now covering his face. The walls became inexistent, the sound of the sea now distorted. His foe was not clear anymore and everything except his bright light clothes and the torches were a spot in the growing darkness. His blood-lost drained out his energy quickly. Jarlon held his spear against Link's throat.

He admired all of the blood and the torn apart clothes, this to turn towards the all-seeing-eye. "Is this the man you feared, my lord? Where is the grand warrior? All I see here is a defeated mortal. He is no different from other soldiers I killed before!" He turned to Link to spit to his face, and then he drew closer without taking the blade from position and whispered to his ear. "I do not respect you at all. You shall die at the hands of someone who doesn't even hate you. Yes, you are that meaningless to me." Suddenly Link grabbed an arrow from his quiver and drove it to Jarlon's chest. Not noticing the move surprised him however he only laughed to see that the blow did not pierce his armour.

"You did not have the strength to drive it through the breast plate!" he almost lost posture laughing. "I dare you. Go ahead and inflict me a wound." He placed his chest still covered in front of Link and watched him struggle with the weigh of his own arm. Then he saw something as the arrow hit his breastplate. He saw the brightest light in the world. That blinded him, holding his hands against his eyes he stepped back thus Link shot his hookshot admirably fortunate to have it close to him right through Jarlon's heart. Jarlon immediately became shocked, cold; light weighted and fell to the ground. His last words "I have failed." Were only a whisper and incomplete.

Link lay on his back exhausted as he dropped the handle to the ground. The door opened and the evil king appeared looking almost exactly as his illusion only that he had long hair and different armour, still completely black but the breastplate consisted of different pieces and had a cloak. He walked towards Jarlon's corpse staring at the work of art.

"If he were alive, I am sure he would have liked this." He turned to Link. "I told him to finish you quickly, to never underestimate you under any circumstances. Still he finished the job." He exhaled.

Link made not an attempt to grab a weapon; he could feel the life leaving him. Before that he also remembered his last night with Zelda and became glad.

The evil king gazed at the master sword as he levitated it. "This is the sword I feared for years. This figure haunted me for near a decade in the middle of my nightmare. Now you shall not need it." And he threw it out a hole made from the battle. "If I leave you here, you will surely die. Then again, I would not have my revenge." He picked Link from the clothes and checked him for more weapons. When he found none he then saw the necklace hanging on his bare chest, it attracted his gaze. "Where did you find that piece? I shall have it for you need it not for the next world." He snapped the chain from his neck and threw him to a wall. Link hoped he could end his state at once.

"Before I kill you Link, you should know this." He pulled a blade that glowed as though it was scorching. "It was not wise to come here alone, as you can see. You should not have done that. Now I am going to take the rest of my army which is far greater than the force you killed and will kill princess Zelda. Your stubbornness was of no avail." He was about to lay down the finishing blow when he heard Link whispering something. "What?" he heard him speak again but did not understand the words. He came closer and clearly he heard it. " I am not stubborn." Rather than uttering, Link exhaled his words. Immediately he heard two different horns blowing. One of his army, the other one the Hylian brass horns. He looked out the window and saw an enormous fleet coming to the island. He saw large boulders thrown into the shores as well as fire pots. He turned to Link and he was smiling, then he understood his words.


	7. Linking heaven and earth

**7**

**Linking heaven and earth**

The night Link left Hyrule, he sent a message to general Fallder, this read: "Most respectable General Fallder, by my own mind-set I wish that you inform Princess Zelda about my quest in one week's time. Before that she must not know. I trust in your discretion. The highest rules upheld. May all of us be wise with our share of time."

Zelda gathered all of the fleet as well as the foreign armies in a few weeks. Her true power as leader and sage had emerged. Not anger was her stimulation rather it was love, indeed the greatest power in the world.

Ganon could not believe his eyes as he saw the large navy through his entrance. He turned to Link and thrust his sword into his chest and drew it out full of blood.

Outside the remains of the evil army protected the coast for little and became overwhelmed in less than a quarter of an hour. The troops landed and went straight for inside the tower. Zelda took the master sword incrusted in the land. The rest of the sages followed her into the tower. Ganon fought with his magic yet no creature came to his aid. The power of the sages and the soldiers took him; they exhausted him until he fell on his knees. Zelda took the master sword and lopped the evil king's head. She ordered to burn the corpse outside and kill every monster on island.

Almost at the top, inside Jarlon's quarters laid Link's dead body soaked in his own blood. His clothes torn off with the blade, his neck missing the diamond and his bare hands held fast to the ground indicating his agony.

Zelda's dry face contemplated his body so brutally injured and changed not. She returned his stained sword to his hands and pressed them against it. "this is my last gift. Take it, it is your spoil of war." She muttered. "captain, bring a sheet to cover him. bring him out carrying him over your shoulders as it should." The captain approached and with his own cape covered the body. "also, send notice of his demise to the kingdom for due funeral preparations."

Without saying more she left to her own ship and sailed to Hyrule. Throughout the entire journey she spoke to no one, left not the cabin. Neither did she shed one tear. Deep inside her, emptiness expanded consuming her feelings as well as her thoughts. She felt as though the sea of numerous memories drained into an ever-deep abyss.

The funerals were gloom; they were held inside the temple of time, great crowds attended and heard a speech given by Lord Radiant and princess Zelda.

One talked about the duties all of us held, that we are valuable to our own. It was his duty to protect, moreover his life was guided by the sword, it was only fair to perish by it in due time.

But not Zelda, she talked not about a duty rather about his responsibility to the people. She expressed Link's lack of feelings; he could not feel pride for his own glory nor patriotism. He felt nothing for the people he protected; still he defended them with his life.

One man knew the value of leadership, of family and kingdom. Yet he did not feel it.

"set your heads up high, smell the clean air. A man who cared about you not in the smallest fraction has just bought your freedom with his own blood. Remember him for what he was. Be true to the facts and enlarge them not. And also remember that I loved him for what he was." That was the part of the speech everyone would always remember.

Once the speech was over, Link's coffin was loaded into a wagon. He would be buried next to his mother inside the kokiri forest, to dwell with the dead Deku tree.

Zelda took the wagon and went to the kokiri forest where Sariah would be waiting. As a sage, the princess could go inside the forest without fear of danger. To get the coffin past the entrance, he pulled it with wheels set on the base.

Sariah waited standing on the other side of the tunnel, holding her tears as much as she could. When both met, a feeling of compassion came over them and for the first time considered themselves friends.

They walked towards the Deku tree's grove in a great silence, even the crickets dared not to talk. noticing that the princess felt awkward by the silence Sariah explained.

"they remain inside their homes for they mourn."

"Do they consider Link as their kind?"

"No, they thank Link and wish they had been kind to him."

Even Mido stayed indoors as he joined the mourn of the whole forest.

A grave was dug already, and with their powers they laid the box inside and covered it with dust. The once childish and lively kokiri girl kept a straight face; avoided loosing serenity while they finished burying. As their tradition followed, they marked not the gravesite.

"Nid goel lin." Said Sariah once they finished.

"what does it mean?"

"May his soul rest." She replied but her cry became obvious, she continued to speak clenching her teeth. " I warned him not to go, yet he did not listen. He would not listen." she sobbed and then looked up to the princess, the tall figure looked back at her with dry eyes. Sariah hid her wet face behind dirt-filled hands. "What will become of me? How am I to see the world and tell it Link has left?"

Sariah cried out loud, ashamed she ran to her house and locked herself in.

Zelda remained alone next to the grave, seeing the little girl four times her age crying for the loss and then wondered the same. Nothing else to be done, but for that day, and only for that day to question about the present and perhaps fear the future.

" I do not know what will become of me either." She said to the heap of dirt. "today the heavens mourn, joining are the trees and the fairies, Impa told me. I care neither of them nor the people inside the walls of the city. For far too long I have heeded to other voices than my own. For far too long I have thought of others and have nothing in return. For far too long I loved you without certainty of your true self. Nonetheless nothing shall change; I have made my decision and will follow your example. Today my heart broke for the last time and will die as this great tree: from the inside. Empty inside, I shall be named thus your example I follow. To act without feeling, to speak without voice."

She walked back to her horse slower than usual, her head low and hooded. "nobody could understand your speech, yet everyone knew your heart."

She returned to the castle and greeted sombrely to the mourners. King Kafei of Termina arrived as well as the prince Rundarck of Pershiom, Sirion of Urikia, princess Ruto of the Zoras, Darunia of the Gorons and Hatboro from the Gerudos. Other royalty as well as nobles came from near and distant lands to mourn with princess Zelda the loss of the hero of time.

By nightfall she requested not to be disturbed again. She ordered the soldiers to clear the floor from the west wing. She walked the stoned walls alone, in the dark. Her soft shoes dragged creating a small rubbing echo only she could hear.

The night was clear, still cool different from the nights she spent in the warmer seas past the yimtag keys and the lower westward sea. The wind blew strongly almost violently, and then ceased so a howl could be heard. She remembered the last night they were together, the very similar night. She remembered how the moon was their only witness; it was the only one that saw Link grasping feelings. Heartache was coming; she could feel this but did not want it.

The wind blew again, stronger this time and a bird called. Zelda bore it no more as she felt her chest aching. Crying, covering her face she fell to the ground defeated by her emotions.

"why?" she wondered. "where is the fairness in this?" she found no comfort in her religion, no comfort in tomorrow and particularly no comfort from the other sages.

Well intentioned, they all were nevertheless useless when all she ever loved in life was taken from her so violently. She failed as a ruler, as a sage and as a lover. He failed in keeping his promise. Nothing could be more ill than that. Everything but that, the princess could bear.

As the cry went on, a voice from the roof was heard, a man's voice.

" Is something the matter?" Zelda knew that voice. She looked up and to her surprise saw general Black Mask.

"what are you doing here?" she stood up and stepped back.

" I have come to pay my respects. I apologize for the irruption but your soldiers would have never let me past the city gates." He leapt down to the ground.

" Leave at once or I shall call my guards."

" Did you know that I could kill you before you do that?"

"Move, and I shall kill you first."

" I will not do such thing. I wanted to pay my respects because contrary of what you think, I cared very much for my boy."

"he hated you."

" Yes, he also tried to kill me several times. And when he made no attempt he wished I were dead. None of that matters to me, he was flesh of my own flesh and the only thing left from my late and dearest wife."

Zelda did not believe his words; she was ready to use her powers and call for her guards as she kept a safe distance. Black mask approached the balcony attracted by the glow therefore viewed the city and the lights of the thousand candles representing Link's departure. "The special oils from the green branches." The general thought. "This is worthy of a king." He exhaled and the princess watched closely. "I cannot believe he is dead." He said out loud. "He walked the right path of the warrior. They tell me he could not feel but I know his extended arm had his sword facing the enemies and his heart facing his cause." A glitter in her eyes could be seen with the pale light.

"Did you teach Link that?"

"Yes, when we both left searching for my army at the mountains."

"He taught it to my soldiers."

Underneath the mask, the general hid a tear. His chest swelled for one moment only. He said nothing to the princess but in secret he smiled.

"Tell me about him. I beg of you, for only this night, forget I have threatened your kingdom." And bowing he closed his eyes hoping for an assenting word. Zelda could not believe her eyes. The man who once had a blade to her neck now bowed to know about a son who hated him.

"Join me for tea. Tonight we talk; tomorrow we deny this ever happened." Both of them went for the library where a pot would always be ready by the fire. They sat in opposing chairs away from the fire. Zelda treated Black Mask kindly knowing it would be over the following day.

"The rumours are strange and inaccurate. I am his father yet I know so little of him. How did Link come to be what he once was?"

"Only Link knows for sure. Mysteriously, even when he had never used a sword, the grip came easy for him. Pressing on against an overwhelming foe is not done easily; you and I know that. Every time I saw him, he was different. He was stronger but less a person. "

"He travelled the world for eight years. Why did he do this?"

"Premonitions. He knows when someone is in danger, for that reason he left and continued searching those in need. "

"That is how we met then."

"Not quite, Termina sent for him." a question came to mind. "Speaking of which, what did Link tell you to leave the kingdom?" Black Mask sipped his tea and stared at the princess wondering why she was not aware of it.

"You never spoke to Link about it?"

"He refused to mention anything about the matter."

"He told me he fought for love."

The words stroke Zelda deeply. Her dead heart overwhelmed at the fact that perhaps Link could feel. Her mind flashed to that day, their first kiss, the morning after he returned from Urikia and finally their last night together. As she recalled, not agony but cheer she felt.

The feeling broke through her sad expression; barely had it done though a great achievement.

"And you felt sympathy?" Black Mask chuckled before sipping tea again.

"Odd, Link said the same thing. Has sympathy become very common in Hyrule since I left? No, that is not it. Sympathy is a brotherly feeling, it is mutual; I feel not such thing for I love no more. What I felt was fear for he held the most powerful force in the world."

"The triforce?"

"Love, princess. That makes the warrior invincible. The lust for power or greed cannot compare to the passion emerging from a loving heart, especially if he defends what his heart desires. Have you seen a city in flames? Have you seen a melting mountain erupt? How do you shield against such powers? The final destination for a warrior is home, you see. We are prepared to die for anything necessary, yet deep within ourselves we secretly long for setting aside our weapons and embrace life. To embrace what we love." Zelda could not believe that such romantic words could Black Mask express, in such a casual manner as if they were war strategies. But his speech was not bejewelled by pretty words. The strict truth he spoke, only that it has been long forgotten.

Zelda felt it again but it stayed briefly. One thought struck her.

"If that is true he wouldn't have died."

"Yet you are still alive. Maybe love is what kept you. Perhaps even that was Link's choice that you prevailed and not he. Many suppose that we walk a path of our own choosing. I think that we all walk together and we go different directions to keep a balance. It is possible that he brought to an end his path so that yours could go beyond."

"I do not think so. I think he made a terrible mistake by going there alone. He planned to kill the evil king, Impa told me so. And he did not even scratch him. He went there out-manned, out-posted and under geared."

"There is that possibility as well. It does not matter anymore. To honour him, I shall kill the man who slew my son."

"There is no need for that." Princess Zelda drank her warm tea. "He is dead already."

It took her some time to realize that Black Mask had become surprised enormously at her words.

"How do you know that? Who told you so?"

"My own eyes. It was I who took his life and his head."

"When?"

"A week after he left, one of my generals told me this, Link sailed with a ship that could only leave port with royal permission or notice. I discovered where he had gone through searching the dungeon island by the Yimtag keys. In four weeks time I gathered my fleet, the foreign armies and the seven sages. An island we found under the circle of eternal beams. A rock cave and a passage to the other world where that island was. We found the docks still smoking. That very same day that Link arrived, several hours later we did.

He knew he couldn't do it by himself and still he went first alone.

That is why I say he did the wrong thing. Why are you surprised? Do you think I can only order?"

Black Mask answered after a while. Before that he scratched his head ban became uneasy.

"Unless my own eyes were cheated by some spell as they have before, Gannondorf lives. He was seen throughout the skies with his foul monsters. Even I have seen such host."

Zelda did not believe his words. She thought maybe he had been cheated again. But one dark and heavy thought came to her mind. It was actually a memory, recalling the day she sailed into Sendrh Uchia. The master sword did not glow amidst the darkness. Sendrh Uchia, or rather what she thought was the evil dominion was nothing but a creation. Everything was false including the man she killed.

Her stomach felt uneasy as her sight revolved around that small detail. Suddenly she heard the wind outside the window. Too strong and too constant it felt; with the force, the window opened and she heard wings fluttering. Black Mask drew his weapon and reached the open window. Outside he saw a dragon and Gannon riding him. "Zelda!" he yelled. Black mask threw his bombs towards the dragon yet the fire from the beast's mouth consumed them. The strong wind from its wings threw the mask off the general's face. Zelda came to the window to presence her failure.

"You think you killed me! But I live and hold these creatures. Merely a creation of mine you slew but he killed Link. I left that so I could go on and find these creatures. You shall die but not before you see your kingdom turned into ashes."

"Get down." the general fell over the princes dodging the fire from the dragon.

The rug and some furniture caught fire but across, the books were all burning. Both went outside and saw a great horde of these dragons attacking the city.

Commands were shouted, the soldiers shot against the monsters. Some dragons dropped skeletons to fight inside the castle walls. "Stop it!" she yelled towards the fading figure. Te princess ran downstairs as Black Mask followed. Once in the courtyard he realized it was not his duty to protect her, however he did not want her to perish in the hands of he who killed his son.

Some trees had caught the fire; most of the guards were about shooting to the dragons then from a distance a couple of soldiers yelled. Suddenly she dodged a blade from a skeleton but immediately black mask destroyed it with his sword. "Seek hide, you are not safe here." He said. But the Zelda did not waive rather she stepped forward and radiated light that turned the skeletons to a heap of litter and scared the dragons. But her powers did not keep them away. They left for they were called back. A raid and a taste this had been, of the greater damage there was to come.

Black Mask stood in awe as he had a look at the princess one more time. What he failed to see before was not clear. How she could wield such power was foreign to him.

"I would believe that Gannondorf left his dominion not to seek other creatures but to escape your powers. Had he been there I doubt not he would have perished." He said. "I trust you know how to deal with him."

"You leave." Zelda turned to see him.

"This is not my fight. If you fail, I shall see to avenge my son."

Without a reply, the general took his leave. Zelda stared at the flames from the dragon's breath illuminating the otherwise dark courtyard. As the soldiers brought waters to quench the blazing fire, she took a time to think about what had happened. She thought about Link giving up his life so she could have peace once again and how useless the campaign had been. "You died in vain." She thought. "I told you to think of me. Everyone told you so."

The next day, the servants were picking the ashes and the spoiled furniture to take them out. In the tower, king Hark wondered about what to do and if his daughter could bear such burdens on her young shoulders in spite of her wise head.

She reunited the council of war to its full faculty which had twelve men, joining were the sages. Around the table inside the secret quarters, they all listened to Zelda.

"We must make our stand; now that Link is gone, sparing no one. Every able man must take up arms and fight. Too young or too old is of no importance." She said.

"I believe all the sages should come to the walled city and protect you." Said Naburoo of the Gerudos.

"And leave my own kingdom?" said Ruto of the Zoras. "You might not have responsibility to your people but I need to seek the safety of my own before anyone else.

"Link was my brother." Darunia of the Gorons stood. "He would have disapproved your choice."

"He was my husband-to-be and I lost him to her." She pointed to Zelda. " Should I loose my kin for her also?"

"Quiet all of you." Sariah stood and as never seen before she spoke her mind in a state of agitation. "Link has nothing to do with this. He is dead for he was rash. Ganon on the other hand will attack the walled city. His numbers are great; his ranks swell by the hour. An army shall march to these gates and after taking this, he will want to kill the rest of our kin. I say if he wants to fight, we should meet him here gather all the armies and fight."

" One moment child." Said general Harpion of the cavalry. "why would we take heed to you? You are no military strategist, and what you said is hardly a counsel I would follow."

"careful who you call child, general." She replied. " I am 83 years old and a sage. Do not mistake me for an ignorant who speaks her ignorance. And, Madame Nabooroo? I support your idea."

The rest of the sages agreed at once. Ruto had no choice but to be in agreeing with the rest.

As they went on talking another raid started. The ground shook and dust emerged into the air. "boom, doom, doom." Was heard as a giant drum beating. But no drum was used, it was simply the paws of another creature sent by Gannon, this one was inside the city.

All of the soldiers and sages came out of the room and went into the outside gate; beyond it they saw a serpent-like monster using brute strength to rip apart the houses and the stones.

Crowds and crowds piled against the roads screaming for their lives away from the roaring and unknown beast. Many of the skeleton soldiers emerged from its back and a great host of dragons over flew the skies breathing fire to anything that moved.

"Forward! Infantry see to the skeletons. Get the archers up the towers and the sages follow me!" cried Zelda. "Quickly, if we must, we die this day!" they all ran towards the monster even before the soldiers could follow the orders given.

Darunia braced himself and rolled against the one of the leg, the smash did not do much. Impa, Naburoo and Ruto climbed up the back of the creature and with their weapons started cutting the flesh. Their knives and scale bounced as they had hit a fresh tree with a dull blade. The monster shook trying to be freed of the trespassers from its back. Rauru put his hands up high and shouted in great voice. "Behold the light!" his person radiated a clean light, brighter than the sun of noon over their heads. The white light not only paralysed the creature's eyes, it also burned its green face. The scolded flesh made Impa run to the head and drive her sword down the eye-lids. The splatter of blood fell over many, and then Darunia pulled something from a satchel and opening the monster's mouth he threw it inside. The bomb was big enough to destroy the brain inside the hard skull. The archers could not kill the dragons but kept them away form the castle until they were summoned back to the evil king.

The seven sages panted next to the corpse of the lizard that terrorized the city. Many of the people gathered around it but the princess asked them to step back, in case there could be off-spring or foul smell.

"What is Gannon doing with these raids?" princess Ruto asked.

"he is testing our strength." Said Rauru. "I wouldn't be surprised if any of your kingdoms are under some kind of attack."

None of the sages confirmed any battles against some monster, at least none they knew about. Ruto, Darunia, Naburoo and Sariah decided to go back to their kingdoms and be sure they had everything under control. Zelda, Rauru, Impa decided to stay inside the castle.

As they went back, Zelda ordered the soldiers to inspect the area for any skeletons wandering around the city, to man the walls, arm the reserves and in any possible means, to take away the carcass of that monster laying at the square.

Once inside the castle court-yard, a soldier came to her. He had no helm on and seemed to be agitated.

"your highness, I need to speak to you." He said bowing.

"what is it?"

"it is about last night, the raid." Before he could carry on, the captain of the guard intervened.

"what are you doing? I told you not to bother milady with that!" he dragged the soldier away but Zelda stopped him.

"I wish to know what he has to say."

"but milady, this man… you shall not like what he will say.

"let me be the judge of that, captain." She said. The captain let the soldier go and from a few steps he looked down to the ground and went on with his story.

"you see, milady I am new to the guard but learned quickly everything about the soldier's duty. I took the teachings of master Link as a sacred command. That night I felt that I was invincible. However when the dragons came, we could not kill them, their scales were as hard as steel. We tried everything but their flight and fire breaths made it impossible for us to kill them. We did not. Yet if you go to the west wing garden site you shall see three dead dragons. That is because… because….." Zelda did not say a thing neither did the captain. "what I saw was a figure, a shadow. I heard a chain and a very familiar clanking sound. The dragons fell on the ground. I was hurt and my eyes were covered with blood, but I know that I saw…. I saw master Link.

Silence. The captain shook his head fearing the worst for that soldier. Princess Zelda approached the soldier while he knelt on the ground. She asked him to stand up and when doing so she slapped him as hard as she could.

"Did you not hear my speech? Did you fail to understand? Do you know what enlarge means?" she looked at his eyes, even though he tried not to look, he was both scared and fascinated by them. "Forget that far-fetched story and never say that again."

"But it is true…"

"Stand down, or you shall go to the dungeon."

"I say this because I care about you."

"Captain" she hollered and the man came swiftly behind the soldier. "Lock this man in the dungeon; see that he learns a lesson."

The captain was quick to follow her command. The poor soldier resisted but only to continue with his story. "Please believe me." Was the last thing she heard from him. Impa and Rauru wondered why a man would believe such things for someone else. They could believe if that man had lost someone close to him, of his own kin; therefore he would have the burning desire to think he was still alive.

They returned to the castle both to be safe and make sure all the soldiers would bear arms. Impa, however did not go to make sure any of that, her curiosity fed inside as starving strayed cat they compared her to. She wanted to see with her own eyes what she witnessed before. Of course she had no expectations; her hopes were not high for the loss was not great. Nevertheless, she did see something.

The night before, she was about her own business since the princess requested to be left alone. She respected her wish; after all, the major threat in the worlds had been already annihilated. She wondered about what things might become and what tomorrow would bring. When she suddenly heard it: the fluttering. The wind tasted of smoke from the rooftop she climbed. She ran towards the courtyard to see and there they were: the skeletons and the dragons. For just one moment she gazed with amazement and almost in awe for the man who they thought dead was alive and cleverly tricked everyone in the kingdom.

She leapt into the space drawing her sword. She landed over a dragon and killed it breaking the neck. And falling she threw her weapon towards another one about to spit fire but the blade impaled its mouth and the monster fell. Then she heard another dragon falling behind her and running away steps. She left quickly to fight other skeletons and try to ward off the dragons. And while she ran she remembered: that last dragon was killed by someone skilled, yet there were almost no soldiers in the courtyard.

And this morning as she went to where the carcasses lied, she examined the wounds of the three of them. One had a wound direct to the heart, made by either a great spear or a harpoon. The discovery did not startle her. "I am confident there is an explanation." She thought. It did not matter that much. She learned over the years that the very things we cannot imagine are the most stupid ones; therefore we could not imagine them in the first place.

She got to the courtyard and saw the dragons lie down, their blood had been washed off and as for carcasses their wounds were obvious. The first one fell on its head and its neck was completely bent over. The second had the hole on the back of its head; the hole wasn't that visible yet so much dried blood gushed from there. Now the third one was strange, there was a wound directly to the chest, whatever made it was without a doubt amazing force to strike through such hard skin and the bones.

Inside, the wound went perfectly in and out, now the hole was big the weapon went in clean but was drawn out and tore the inside. Impa had seen this kind of wounds before, in many place actually, however she saw this often from one person or rather from one object: the hookshot. She shook her head in disbelief. There was no reason to believe this. The shadows were her living force; she knew so many things unbearable and those secrets were unveiled to her for that she knew them perfectly. "I refuse to believe this nonsense." She said out loud and left the courtyard. As she walked back to the main hall, she stumbled upon Rauru.

He stared at the dragons from a distance and returned to see Impa right in front of him.

"The soldier was right, there are three dragons dead here."

"That's right, but it was I who killed them."

"Then for what reason did you come here?"

She had no answer for that. Indeed the curiosity drove her there to examine the carcasses yet she did not know what she expected to find. Not that the tale turned to be true… no, impossible she thought. There is no way he could be alive. "I saw him die with my own eyes. He was not breathing; he had lost most of his blood. Nobody could have survived that."

Rauru on the other hand approached to see the strange wound on the dragon. He recognized, even when he had never held a sword that the wound was made by some other weapon; one specifically came to mind.

"Careful about your conclusions, sage of light, if you say the wrong thing it might be you going inside the dungeon." She said with her familiar smile.

"I was not about to say anything." He replied while he gazed at the wound and the flies around. "Actually, yes I was about to ask if you killed this one."

"I did not."

"Who did it?"

"I do not know."

"Strange, the soldier said they killed none."

"He did not see me either, perhaps the man responsible was another soldier that neither he o I saw."

"Is this the wound of a sword? Or maybe a spear? It certainly is not from a rock. I am no fool, Impa, this was made with the hookshot."

"You shall not torment my lady with such nonsense." Impa quickly intervened. "She has enough to worry about."

"I am saying nothing or implying that he might be alive. I simply see that this was made by the hookshot. Remember that Link found it, it was made by a craftsman and not especially for him. There might be another one that a soldier possesses."

Impa saw no reason to continue the conversation. She left without saying anything. Rauru's words troubled her; just uttering the same he said made her shiver.

Without anything further she left as the same for Rauru, minding about other business that did not include bringing back the dead.

The next morning, the sight of rain calmed the fire-fearing men patrolling around the walls. The castle was in an uproar, the halls swelled with soldiers getting ready. Many runners went to the villages and summon the reserves as well as conscripts. From every land the fleet gathered as many men as possible; they were to come to the Hyrule castle for Gannon wanted it for the prize. He cared not about the lands; he wanted to destroy the core of the kingdom. The castle, the temple, the royal family, the big market all had to go, and for that he spared no expense.

Zelda supervised everything personally, even when Impa and the council had their duties, the princess immersed herself into every detail. Catapults were brought; the scientists developed earlier a sort of acid that could peel the dragon's flesh and compressed it into very fragile rocks, some wizards even reproduced Link's arrow in a less accurate way for the archers.

The soldiers gave the people a sense of security, however Zelda worried it couldn't be enough. "Gannon's magic might be more than we can bear" she thought but quickly contradicted herself "no, he has done this before. He has made us believe we are doomed and all hope is lost. It is never true. Gannon is a liar; even his great force is a lie. He cannot win." This she hoped with all her might, which one may say is not little.

At the top of every tower, were two watchers in search of distant armies to come to prepare in case of an attack. They felt it was imminent, any moment now. At the same time they hoped and feared another quiet hour.

Rain poured heavily over the soldier's armours as tiny hammers sounding in hollow clanks. Not a single one of them rested their minds; it is imperative to be alert in order to make a stand.

The generals took the position of the captains, they agreed that in order to make a better defensive position they would have to actually make several positions, to make the city not one stronghold but many strongholds. At the centre of all of it the castle had round it many catapults, hidden archers, reserves and replicas of the message arrow, this to attack any other flying creature.

In the midst of the rain and the grey curtain it formed, one of the watchers noticed something moving in distance, first airborne very distantly but then he saw more dots barely noticeable. He pointed it to his comrade who immediately yelled: "air raid! Eastern wall!" But the yell was not alone; many more from their different positions yelled the same. From the east a big host of dragons, flying lizards approached, from the north a force of skeletons and ogres to smash the bridge gate along from a far came dodongos ready to eat the castle walls.

Zelda stood behind with the castle guards and Impa; Rauru had to return to the temple of light in case the temple would be breached again. Gannon might forget about the triforce, or he might just take it.

The catapults launched rocks and the crystals, most of them missed, the ones that hit took it's time to make the effect. A volley was ordered; the arrows did little damage. The princess saw everything from a distance; the men were enough to keep them busy for the moment. In any case if the walls needed reinforcement there was a signal for it, quite unmistakable also. If Zelda saw a green light that meant to reinforce there, a tactic often used during a siege, which is done save the troops until the precise moment.

The eastern wall kept firing upon the dragons, incoming in huge bands that circled around spitting fire to the houses and towards the soldiers. Fortunately for the soldiers an over roof was built to protect them from the corrosive fires. The catapults on the other hand were not so fortunate in spite of being guarded by the archers; they caught fire fast enough to become disabled.

The princess clenched her fists at the sight of her beloved city being attacked; but amidst the anger and anxiety she felt needed and in despair; she felt it once before and it had been terrible. She quickly gathered a company on horse and ordered a second company on foot to reinforce the gates. The first band rode towards the gates and found them ruined with the ogres inside the city going after the castle. Zelda leaped down from her horse and ordered the men to ride against the ogres. Ten of them tall, the size of three men and five around, with pieces of the wood they clubbed everything around; their thick skin made it almost impossible to inflict a proper wound. Five of them went straight for the castle; the company of riders was not nearly enough to keep them. Zelda attracted them hoping the foot soldiers would arrive. Only one followed and the rest were diverted by some archers. "Shoot the dragons!" She yelled. Then the reinforcements arrived being more since one of the archers had shot the green arrow; they tried to kill the ogres but the men were enough for only four of them, there was still one after the princess; unable to use her powers without the aid of weaponry, she dodged the swift clubbing of said monster. She was standing in front of the temple, then she thought of using her powers at least to escape, that is when out of the sudden, she saw the ogre dash through the air and into the temple, something hit it. She almost felt faint when she looked back and saw all of the ogres killed and the amazed men standing around the carcasses also looked up and saw the dragons leave. Zelda rushed inside and saw the ogre killed, the hookshot still hanging out its bleeding chest and the Kokiri sword stuck in the throat. Her eyes could not believe the pedestal empty, even at such distance was visible. Footsteps from wet boots, from the ogre to the end of the temple and outside the voice of the hero of time yelling in deep, deep anger "Gannondorf!"

The princess went outside and she could see it at the top, the man yelling being not an illusion or an impostor, simply a miracle.

"Gannondorf... Gannondorf… Gannondorf!" that was the last thing she heard before fainting under the heavy rain in the middle of a huge and amazed city that had just gazed someone from the dead.


	8. Revealing things hidden

**8**

**Revealing things hidden. **

Zelda then lived once again in her dream when Link returned to Hyrule.

The morning, bright and early without a cloud on the sky… Zelda witnessed sunrise, she could sleep no more. Something worried her, something hidden and unsure, nameless. Before the maids spoke Zelda knew what they said, and before they knocked she bid them to enter. The maids prepared a bath with spring water and aromatic leaves, intended to rest the mind but this mind was restless, nobody could think as hard about nothing as the princess could.

On her way to the throne Impa joined her along with a scribe to inform about the day's businesses.

"My lady, today you have the usual matters with the petitioners, a meeting with the council of war before that, a diplomatic meeting with Lord Erion from Pershiom, but first the captain of the outposts wishes to address you at the throne."

"What is he doing here? He should be watching over the boarders." The princess inquired in a pessimistic way.

"He comes to report to the council" Impa replied. "It is part of his duty every two full moons, you should know that."

The princess did not reply for she was embarrassed to continue with any questions.

Impa could notice Zelda's state of mind. Her long years of caring and watching paid off as knowledge of her master continued to grow. Sometimes she felt like a mother.

At the throne the captain told the princess about the conditions of the posts, he requested permission to settle a village to have enough working hands and make due repairs. Zelda had to decline for having a settlement would require taxation and the people could not pay it at the moment, but she would send workers to settle there with the troops.

As the captain left, Impa inquired about the princess mind.

"What troubles you, milady?"

"I wish you could tell me."

"How could I?"

"I feel something is to happen, whether it is good or evil, is unknown to me. Experience tells me that after tragedy hope comes, and the other way around."

"And what will come first? Hope or tragedy?"

"That is the question."

Impa tried to bring something to mind, from memory not imagination; she knows that the worst things are not unheard of, they have been perhaps forgotten or diminished but never unheard of. The greater waves in the stillest of lakes start with one wave and before making the bigger many are formed. All this Impa had very clear, for that she left to mind about these businesses. Zelda could not have the mind for anything else but neither the heart to solve the matter.

Around noon she felt it first. The need of being somewhere; unknown to her the reasons or as to whom might need her. Only the feeling instead of the image, following her steps rather than having a place to go.

She left the council meeting in such a hurry but without knowing. She felt in her heart going right direction. Her feet quickened as they felt light with the step. Soon she was amidst the great market. The right place indeed, but why? She looked around desperate wishing to know what was to come. Looking around she realized that the soldiers had followed her. "Go back I have no need of you here" she said as she kept on searching, she worried when the reply came "but you ordered us to come, your highness." She looked back at the soldiers and their faces she saw truth. She could not remember the order. In fact she could not ever remember how she got there. As she did, one man collided with her. He was covered in a robe and hooded. He appeared to be a peasant or a very poor monk from an outside kingdom. The soldiers held their weapons at the man realizing that the lump on his back was a sword. Although Zelda could not see the man's face nor heard his voice, she ordered the men to lower the weapons. Surrounded by the man's arms, she was. Looking down for she felt something else, a very familiar sensation: she felt safe. "Only someone could make me feel like this" she said and unnecessarily removed the hood. She saw a man instead of the boy she remembered. The hair still on his face, as bright as her own; the skin begotten rigid, with marks of being shaven; but a blank stare, that she could not remember.

"My soldiers, this is the hero of time and saviour of Hyrule: Link." The men took the helmets off and beheld the man they heard in stories by the folk in the markets, in the taverns, in celebrations of their own villages. That very same person was the one before them. Zelda could only remember his eyes along with that firm and calming grip.

The princess awoke inside her chambers; her clothes had been changed and she was tucked inside her bed. It was morning, still sombre yet brighter than yesterday. As she sat up, from the shadows, a voice was heard and the shine of a blade was seen.

"You are awake, thank goodness"

"What are you doing here?" she inquired after rubbing her eyes.

"Is that really what you wish to know?"

"Did you see him?" she left her bed swiftly as Impa stood up watching how her master could be such a fool. "Please, tell me you saw him. Tell me that it was not a dream for it is a nightmare." She gasped with one thought. "Then again, if the truth is too painful refrain yourself." Zelda's shivering eyes met Impa's calm metallic stare, calm only outwardly. "I cannot withstand the light any longer, the more truth I learn more miserable I feel. This light hurts my eyes and my heart. If you must, keep me in the shadows with you."

"In the absence of light, it is darkness that prevails and not shadows." As she continued she read from the hilt. "Shadows cannot exist without light, whereas darkness benefits from the lack thereof." And returned her gaze at the princess. "Never mistake them. My father taught me that."

Impa returned her blade to scabbard and stared at the princess, she knew what the princess wanted to know, with resignation she answered. "I saw him; just momentarily he could be seen through that window there." She pointed at the window opposite to the bed. "He hasn't slept at all, I know because I haven't either. He's been about the fortifications; everyone who knew him is scared to talk to him, only the soldiers follow his orders but without looking straight at him."

"He is alive, how could this be?" Zelda asked, Impa did not answer. She knew not and really she wished that Link had stayed inside his grave.

The princess changed her clothes. She wanted to know what happened, she wanted to see it again and not faint. Above all things, she wanted to see him.

Quickly did she dress and tie her hair with the headdress so common for the eastern kingdom's princesses to wear. As she walked, she prepared herself to whatever Link could do. She could not think of what Link was capable of and precisely that frightened her, for that reason she gathered as much strength as she could.

First, she felt the wind changing. The feeling was heavier like rain in the far climate. Then she felt her hands going numb as though she had laboured continuously for a day. Finally she felt her vision blur when her eye was fixed upon him once more. All the strength mustered before made no difference. She could not believe what she saw but still she went up to him and tried to speak; indeed, she opened her mouth yet no words came.

From a distance she tried thus limiting herself to just watch. It was as Impa had said, everyone was ignoring him… no, not ignoring…. They dared not to look upon him. They were afraid. The soldiers heeded to his words but not to look. He carried the master sword, this credited him as the hero of time, and however even all the proofs in the world could not convince her eyes. Her heart would have still doubted had it not been for Link's sudden demonstration of skill. He said "are you going to say something, or just stand and watch?" without turning he awaited for the princess to move. Zelda moved closer and stood next to Link, staring at him she tried to stay on her feet. It was him, unspoiled. Never had she ever heard of someone back from the dead being the same. Others were monsters, mindless creatures, shadows of that which once was, but not Link.

She contemplated as he supervised from a distance the work and before he gave an order, the princess said: "what about you?" Link turned. "I say nothing for I know not what to say, but you? You never do." She was met by the stare. Silence, from the two of them; apart from the hammering, ordering, marching and other noises from work it was quiet.

"My eyes do not lie but it is my ears I trust here. Your silence is all I need to know without a doubt that you are Link the hero of time. I remember that Gannondorf attempted to make a replica out of you. Very accurate indeed, yet he could not make it without feelings. And feelings by the way, those your father have. I never thought I would ever be sure about this lack of yours." More silence and that stare. "And still you say nothing." Zelda scoffed and began walking the other way. She had only taken four steps when Link confessed "I say nothing for I know nothing." She stopped and he carried on. "My memory is that of my quest for Sendrh Uchia, the battle against the evil King's four generals and the voice of Gannon himself. After that I can tell you about recently when I found myself in darkness all around me. Trapped without air. I had little space to move my arms and legs but I broke free. It was not until later whilst shaking the soil off me that I realized it was me own grave I had escaped, my grave inside the forest and next to my mother. The forest was quiet, silent completely, everyone inside their house according to our traditions of mourn. Here at the walled city the bridge was up and a thousand candles burning. That is when I realized everyone thought me dead. I was about to reach for you when I smelled ashes in the air, brimstone and scorched flesh. From a far I heard clearly as I hear you the voice of Gannondorf saying he slew me. I killed a dragon accidentally with the hookshot, I just wanted to get on its back and fly to Gannon. I followed him as far as I could until I realized he still used portals. The miserable coward!" he spit on the floor. "I returned and doing so I found the city gates up in flames, dodongos eating the walls, dragons flying around untouched and ogres inside the city. It took me very little to kill them. That is when you saw me making my challenge to that coward.

That is all I can tell you that do not already know. Now it is your turn to explain how your army is so unable."

"Unable? Is that what you call the men that give their lives for the kingdom? Twenty three have died in two days and all you can say about them is that they are unable."

"Many more should have died and the city defences should have held."

"You are without a doubt the man I loved." She scoffed. "Go on with your duties, I shall be at the throne as always." she did not leave instead she moved next to Link to say one more thing. "I think my biggest mistake was to believe you to change. Whilst I am incomplete inside the kingdom shall go on." And so she left.

As usual that meant nothing to Link. Indeed his life as a soldier needed not for understanding the heart, even one as precious as the one he entered long ago. Nevertheless he worried about her sake. That was the only thing on his mind. Even revenge and anger were displaced by that thought.

He hated Gannondorf but that was not what he was thinking. Instead he thought of brighter days with the princess and especially that night they spent together before he left to Sendrh Uchia. He could not understand it but he felt it as lively as that night. The memory was beyond that it was as time travel; so clear and palpable. He tried to ignore it with his duties but it stayed with him all day.

Behind him at far, Impa watched. She saw him treat her master coldly. Once again for the thousandth time she wondered how Zelda could love him.

Thinking that made her breathing heavier and clench her fists.

Nobody ever saw her that way; she was too careful to be showing it to anyone. Link served a purpose to the kingdom, in that he was successful; nonetheless he had no right to treat the princess that way. Zelda had no reason to love that man. A mere commoner, a soldier in her service; that is all he is. Not a great man, someone empty inside, without feelings.

But not Impa, she had always had the burning desire to serve and protect the royal family. She remembered the day she started her training in Kakariko village

The sky was piling up with clouds real fast, it was windy and dirt picked up entered her red eyes. As she tried to open them once more, she heard the voice of her father.

"You can rub your eyes as much as you please, that will do nothing. Instead you should listen to the wind and learn from it." She turned to see him standing next to her and gazing to the horizon.

Then, her sister appeared behind her; both her father and sister wore the clothes of the sheikah as well as the armour. Onia said "the wind salutes you, Impa." Then she held down both of her younger sister's hands to keep them still. "You should listen, it blows hard for you."

Ronius, her father turned to Impa and standing tall he said in the loudest voice he could keep solemn: "your duty shall be to the family, the royal family that is. Nothing shall stand in your way to protect them. You shall always stand in the way of danger as it approaches the king. Your training shall be severe and hard. Do you wish to do this?"

Even when only 8, Impa knew not to disappoint her father and to reply with all her heart. "I do, father."

That marked the beginning of a very hard training and a very solitary life. As a sage she would learn the great duty upon her. She would later learn that the shadows are part of a balance. To understand darkness, light holds an ally in the middle: the shadows. These are in both places at the same time. It mediates between them. By doing so, shadows are neither one nor of the other. Shadows have no one. Thus would Impa learn to live her life as being there and not at the same time: Being someone and nobody; knowing it all and nothing, she mattered to both all and to nobody. For that reason, to always remember it, Impa had it written in the hilt of her sword, the words her father repeated so fervently.

Her training was indeed hard, what she really wanted was to make her own family proud. They loved her yet pushed her beyond limits to fulfil their duty, to bring a good warrior that protects the king. The safekeeping destined for our loved ones had to be sacrificed in benefit of the rulers, her greatest honour would be to die in the service of them.

She learned this as she sacrificed calm days with her family, hardships, love from another man, even the child she had to bear to secure the blood line of the Sheikahs.

As she matured, she learned to live without those things, she began to harden her heart and free her spirit. She listened to the sorrowful stories from the wind, tragedies from rocks and blood-stained soil echoed the pain and death. She learned to live with such songs. She learned to live with the history of her people and the horrors of disgrace.

To this day, she still slept outside to avoid hearing the whispers of the stone walls.

As she gazed at Link, she carefully cursed him under her breath.

At that moment, one of the watchmen yelled: air raid! All the soldiers readied their weapons, Link quickly instructed the catapults to be directed towards the land monsters and not the dragons. The archers piled by groups at different points rather than along the wall. And the walls were manned behind them since they would not be climbed but destroyed. Packs of rubble piled blocking the exit for the creatures were not smart enough to dig instead of pounding.

This time defending the city was easy enough. The dragons did little harm and the catapults proved effective against the ground monsters. However something troubled Link; it was the raids. Why bother with small raids when he could mobilize an enormous army at the gates? The evil king might or might not be aware of Link's living and whereabouts, still it meant that there was no apparent reason for not doing so.

Perhaps distraction, perhaps to gain time for a proper siege; nevertheless it was very suspicious it had not happened yet

Zelda met with the council of war inside the quarters to decide the proper action. They were waiting on the scavengers dispatched the day before to detect the presence of Gannon's troops. Link met with the rest of the council in spite of the fact that even they were afraid of him.

However Impa did not join; first of all she is not part of the council, second: she had to take care of matters while the meeting took place and last, she did not want to see Link.

So many things were wrong about him: everything seemed too easy and too complicated at the same time; a complete disaster in one sentence.

Impa was a lot more simple and direct about things. She did have feelings but they were towards only one person, her anger to her enemies, and her whole self for the royal family.

Sometimes she felt part of the family, only momentarily when in peace, only in turbulent times did she feel in such trust, that because it was a false trust.

By the time she was 16, she was living still in Kakariko village, her father returned for a few eight years prior to start her as a sheikah, and she had not seen him since. Her training was continuing along with Onia's under the supervision of Ichiro, an apprentice of the Sheikah that teaches the rules and duties to the youngest whilst the eldest serves. Ichiro was a man of great wisdom and great admiration for Ronius, there was little he would not do for him.

The code the Sheikahs follow is called the Half-light law it teaches the warrior the way of the shadows and the loyalty towards the light without being light itself. It teaches how necessary they are, how they are to live under the rule of kings, how they are to grow without their parents, how they are to secure the bloodline. It has a guideline of the training and the secret for listening to the wind, ground and rocks.

Men and women like Ichiro are called Markers, this because they do everything that marks a difference in the sheikah. That is their duty: to raise, train, counsel, direct and care for the future warrior until summoned before the king.

Ichiro had quite a burden though, not only did he had to deal with Impa and Onia, but also with Jia their mother. Jia was another Sheikah who did not know it until womanhood. She tried to learn how to be a warrior but could not tolerate the talking of soil, wind and rocks. Eventually she married Ronius who tried to help her with the listening, in spite of his efforts Jia lost her mind. She was kept inside a hut away from the mountain, the soil was combed, the rocks were removed and the floor was wooden.

Particularly Impa could not understand how her mother was demented. They thought the marriage even against the Half-light law could be of benefit for the bloodline. The problem with Jia was that she did not have the spirit of the Sheikah. She was not trained as a child, she did not know about her identity until later on; she had been a child from Ronius' brother. Jia's wish was to serve, to learn and be part of something.

It was loneliness and the hearing that drove her mad; that which she never learned as a child and failed to grasp as an adult

Ronius loved her as much as he could in his own particular way but mostly he pitied her as a tormented soul who deserved better and a normal family and not the shadow folk who lived for the king of Hyrule.

The day that Impa and Onia were summoned before the King in the middle of the summer, when Kakariko village floods with butterflies from the forest in a wonderful spectacle of colours and silent figures; it happened. A company of soldiers came riding hard into the quiet village as the people went inside their houses. Soldiers meant being safe, of course but it was more like being safer in the path of danger. The company halted in front of a two story house and knocked the door. Ichiro answered; the captain handed him a scroll sealed and said "we came for the Sheikahs." Impa and Onia were about their training when heard the soldiers coming, from a distant hill they saw them.

"The soldiers let us see what they want." Onia held her back and sighed

"Spare us of your stupidity and let Ichiro see the scroll first."

"Why should we fear his majesty's soldiers?"

"For all we care that only looks like a company of soldiers, their uniforms mean nothing."

As they talked, the soldiers awaited for Ichiro to recognize the royal seal and bring the warriors before them.

"I shall fetch them, for now you may rest, if you like food or drink we have enough."

"We will leave at once" said the captain.

"They should inform you better, the Sheikahs go through a ceremony during the night and the following morning they do another one."

"Is it necessary?"

"Quite, I suggest to leave tomorrow morning"

Having said that Ichiro opened the door for them and with a gesture invited them to enter. As the soldiers went inside the house taking off helmets and sighing, Ichiro waved without knowing where he was signalling. He then went inside the house with the soldiers.

Onia sat on the ground as Impa stared at the house imagining what the soldiers might be thinking when going into an almost abandoned town as Kakariko.

"Finally, our time has come and our destiny shall start tomorrow" Onia said as she ripped some grass and heard the soil groan.

"We will see father once more." Said Impa still gazing at the distant house without knowing that her sister looked back at her silent and rabid, frustrated.

"Where have I mistaken?" she stood up "as hard as I try and you keep avoiding a Sheikah's proper attitude."

"Attitude?"

"We are not going to the castle to see father; we do not benefit from it. We are fulfilling our destiny as protectors of the king. You should not… you do not cherish anything else but being in their service. There is nothing else but the King and his safety. Nothing!" Onia cut the air horizontally with her open hand as she stated that last thing. She walked away.

It was seven years since the last time Impa cried. Now, she sobbed very quietly clenching her fists unable to know if she wished to hit her sister, yell at her or simply cry as loud as possible. She did none of that instead she left for her mother's hut and as she did, she tried to regain her posture and serenity. Not to feel it but just to show it. Passing the houses beyond the tree line, the hut remained as hideous as ever, solitary, and noticeable among anything around it. She entered and her eyes adjusted to the dark just to see a figure crawling in the far corner, trembling. "Mother" she said without a response. "It is I…"

"Silence!" the figure burst violently throwing a hand in the air and standing straight.

Impa took a step back, startled by the scream but her mother looked at her completely different and almost motherly. "Oh, not you my child. Not you" and looked around. "It is them, the voices… do you hear them?".

"Yes" in fact there were no voices. The ground, the trees, the grass, the wind were all without a voice inside the hut but given Jia's state, she heard them inside her head.

"They never quiet. They are always there. Telling me what to do. Telling me what others do… I hate them." And returned to the corner.

"Have you eaten?" Jia grunted affirmatively.

"I have news."

"Well, speak. I read no mind" she said focused to the ground.

"The king has summoned us" Jia halted her blind writing in the ground and stood up as Impa continued. "We are to leave tomorrow to see him."

"Ronius…" whispered nodding her head.

"We shall partake of our share of destiny, we shall serve the king."

"Ronius…"she whispered again, nodded again and this brought tears to her eyes.

"I wanted you to know this because when we leave, we will never come back" it was hard for Impa to complete her sentence but she did almost as hard as she swallowed.

"So many years, sixteen of them. I have not seen my husband in that time. Now I am left with no one."

"Ichiro will stay"

"I never carried him in my womb"

"I am sorry" Jia returned to her blind writing and said nothing else. Impa attempted to embrace her but was held back by a snarl. She stood there for some time hoping that maybe her mother could at least say a goodbye. She waited in vain. There was nothing else to do but to continue her training, eat and sleep. The ceremony started around dusk. Onia had a short sword and a grey cloak recently made for her as well as the breastplate, the gauntlets and the ceremonial robe she wore in similar ceremonies. Impa had similar attire but no sword. Both of them kneeled before scrolls of the half-light law and recited their prime duties to the ruler. They swore allegiance to the king, to serve only him, to be anywhere, to be nowhere, to be loyal, to be a protection, to be his servant.

They denied themselves, denied anyone else's existence, to breathe with the king's lungs and to live with the king's heartbeats. And so on until the following morning. The soldiers awoke long after the sisters finished their ceremony. Both stood against the passing wind that caressed their clothing as the soldiers chaired the horses. They rode hard towards the castle, knowing that a new beginning they were facing as more Sheikahs joined the ranks. As Impa looked back at the village and the old houses that made her home, she attempted to spot her mother's hut. Without a glimpse, she knew deep within her own self and her limited experience that many feelings turn to be as one fears, that even without proof of this, she knew she would loose her mother in the immediate future in a terrible manner.

She quickly forgot that idea as they entered the city. They didn't ride as much as she thought, even when never having been to the walled city; she knew it had to be somewhat distant if the soldiers came on horse rather than by foot. Nevertheless she wondered how the city being as huge as the mountain was never seen in the village.

She was quickly caught in the delight of the stoned walls; the swarm of people walking by and talking loudly; the many soldiers around; the market place smelling of fresh fish and spices; mostly, though, when she saw the castle. Seeing it against the rising sun was exquisite experience, the green hills and the perfection of its arquitecture was splendour beyond her knowledge.

They were both led to a hall where they said were to wait for their orders. As the soldiers left, the sisters wondered about the nature of the room. It was quite large, nothing in the middle of it, only an inscription and a symbol on the floor. It read: "to all of those great" and the royal emblem.

"I wonder why we are waiting here" Impa said taking off her hood.

"We are to have our orders."

"We are Sheikahs, we protect the king"

"Yes, but we still have specific orders or duties and that is what we wait for."

"Are we going to see the king?"

"Not likely, he must be busy"

"Busy" a third voice from the door intervened. "When I am too busy for my guardians, then I must be busy with my grave digger. Otherwise I cannot see why" the king smiled and the sisters bowed.

"Your majesty" they said at unison.

"Stand up and let me see you close." He raised them holding their shoulders. The king looked at them with teasing eyes that resembled a child's. He smiled again and said "I know that Onia is the oldest, yet you seem the same age…" then he stared at Impa, this time steadily as an arrow shot straight. "But judging by your eyes, I must say you are Impa.

Both sisters amazed at the king's accuracy in guessing who was which sister.

"I did not guess" the king laughed. "I can never forget those eyes, they are beautiful."

A warm strike hit Impa's chest. It was the first time anybody paid her a compliment. No one else had ever said something delightful about her. Nothing beyond a job well done, for that she was speechless, it did not even deem her to thank the king.

And suddenly her day was brightened, as it was eight years prior, she knew it was him that day, and could never forget him. Her father appeared out of nowhere from behind the king. He was tall, had dark greyish hair, long and tied; his thick side whiskers reached the end of his jaw as they accentuated his rugged looks the same did his brows and black eyes.

"Ronius, good you came. Your daughters are lovely, they remind me of your wife"

It went dead silent. Impa looked at Onia who barely raised a brow, she never liked to hear about her mother.

"You should draw your swords." Ronius said looking at his daughters. Onia did so and raised before her face, to salute the one that weapon would protect. But Impa remained standing and weaving her fingers quite embarrassed. "I have no sword."

Onia sheathed her sword and sighed. "Her hands are small and any weapon I give her slips and cuts her. We were going to make one but have been summoned first."

"Well, I shall see to it that the finest sword smith is brought and make her a perfect blade for her." Again Impa did not know how to respond to that.

"Your highness, you are needed before the council. They have found the culprit."

"Thank you, Ronius." And then turned to see the sisters. "I must go, but first I will explain your duties. These are turbulent times, my enemies lie within my own people, and the places are infested with vile killers. You are here to protect my wife and the heir to the throne: my son Hark. Onia, you shall see to my wife's safety, and Impa, you shall protect my son." He turned to the end of the hall and concluded. "I have faith in you. You should let me keep it."

She might have met few men in her life, but not one could be described as charming or even attractive as the King. Impa knew there was something captivating about his smile, his voice, and those childish eyes. Life emanated from him to her. His presence was refreshing.

As she thought of this, her father approached his daughters and without greeting them, he said "He is the king, I am your father. Believe what I say, and limit yourselves to obey him and nothing else. Your duties and everything you need to know are in the Half-light law, I want you to study it copiously as you remain here. You do whatever the king tells you. Understood?"

"Yes, father" Onia said nodding.

"I do not understand what is it that you wish us not to do"

"I do not want you to learn anything from him" Having nothing more to say or wished for nothing more to hear, he left.

That was as far as Impa wanted to remember from the lie her younger years had been. It was better to always leave the past where it belongs. First it hurt her, then it became sore as a broken bone, then something vague as a scar and now it was a headache like the ones that come from too many bad ideas.

The sky was calm but grey; rain could be smelled in the air from the courtyard in the west wing, but something else in the air, convinced it was foul. She walked away listening to the ground talking about the dead within themselves, wishing she could silence them, and as she did, she wished she could silence her memories of a wasted youth protecting a tyrant and loosing a mother, a father and a sister in the process.


	9. Time is with us

**9**

**Time is with us**

As the first company of soldiers was dispatched to Kakariko village for centric tactics in the early morning as the sun rose, the people wondered why they had not been attacked the day before. Some thought that maybe it was over, that perhaps from inside the castle Link found a way to ward off evil. Some others feared that a great army had assembled and that a full frontal attack and siege was ready.

The outer walls were still firm since the dragons, the skeletons, the dodongos and other creatures were not able to attack them properly, and nevertheless they were successful in decimating the buildings and almost reach the castle walls.

Link sought to fortify the positions and using wisely the artefacts and other weapons against the monsters. He had been successful in that sense, even in keeping a safe passing route for the farmers and cattle-men to maintain the city fed. Still it had been a week since his back-to-life experience without any news of Ganon's whereabouts or even his plans.

The open market was still in operations, though notably smaller due to various merchants leaving the city or even the kingdom. The people buying did so without much bargaining and the sales-people took almost gladly the profits. The soldiers patrolling, the carpenters hammering the draw bridge, the masons restoring the walls, miners bringing stones from the quarry, they were all quiet. The people inquired in silence as they forcibly worked to restore the damaged city and afford a stand. The soldiers speculated while patrolling fearful of another raid, their minds troubled themselves with scattered recalls of fire, growls, teeth and claw, rusted blades and arrows, pain and sorrow.

Beyond them, higher above their heads the princess remained inside the secret meeting chamber. Locked within her thoughts and peace onto herself for there had been too much talk at the council of war.

She had had enough. Enough of the talking, enough of the bickering; it prolonged so much, unnecessarily loud and without need. Besides, talking never solved anything, at least not the way the generals did: just talking and no listening. Half the time promoting their ideas, half the time discarding everyone else's; too stubborn, they are.

The council had been gone for an hour, now the princess was finally alone and undisturbed. It was quiet, almost enough to listen to her breathing now eased. And then for a moment, she transported herself to a wonderful time, to days when she was not troubled with war but rather enjoyed peace. Those days were brighter, the air was fresher almost sweet, or so they seemed; even the cloudy and rainy looked light-full and joyful. Yes, fantasy and reality; days never to be forgotten… and then again, days without Link.

That thought made her realize something disturbing as she fidgeted in her seat trying to understand her understanding.

That now as she recalled these sweet dreams they were not intense. Ever since Link's return, her heart had been burdened, swollen, ravished and broken.

Turbulent times indeed, yet at the same time full of passion.

Never before had she ever felt love so intense, never before had she ever been so thankful for freedom, never before did she love her father more, never before did she miss her mother so.

There had never been a time when she was stronger, decisive, thoughtful, brave, faithful, mightier, wiser or powerful.

Although difficult to conceive and even harder to attribute, turbulent times strengthened her kingdom, her army and her people. Thus, the wicked died and the righteous found eternal rest.

Can suffering be praised? Or war rejoiced?

"Would I trade" she wondered "those years for peace? The means are questionable but not the ends and I do rejoice in the strength" she concluded. Such selfish idea crossed her mind; to think the better days for her people did not include Link could make them dull. And yet, they were dull.

"Am I interrupting?" from the stairs Impa called.

"Not at all" the princess pulled a chair next to her to have Impa quite close. As guardian and master sat together with the simple intent of just company, a new page of memories was about to be read.

"I was thinking about our days of peace."

"They seem so distant"

"Indeed"

"On the other hand I remember the day you were born"

"You mean the night… do you really?"

"As though it was yesterday."

With a soft smile Impa understood that her master wished to hear about it.

"The story begins in the early morning; it was the first undisturbed day since the war had started…"

"What did you do that day, then?"

"I…" she hesitated "was with your father as his guardian, naturally."

"Father once said you had been my guardian since the womb."

"Do you wish to hear the story?"

"Of course." Both laughed, by that Impa fancied the moment; but before carrying on, Link's voice interrupted.

"I need to talk to you, Zelda."

Impa bit the inside of her lip disgusted by the way Link so rudely interrupted them, the way he addressed her master and above all, that without at least begging pardon he received the princess' attention as she disregarded his bad manners and forgot about the pleasant story Impa had to tell.

"Certainly." Zelda replied holding a breath and exhaled the words "Leave us" to Impa. Her guardian obeyed with a serene bow and swift walk.

Link remained standing at the stairs, his blank stare arose so many things in Zelda. A strange trade… so much for nothing.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me?" Zelda inquired.

"No."

"Then why…" she then remembered the Kokiri expression Sariah once explained to her _D'hrohoged invar _which translates literally: talk with you. That is how Kokiries set up meetings however talking is not the purpose instead simple company. She almost felt flattered.

"You might want to sit down" she said pointing to the chair Impa left vacant. She watched how Link hesitated and silently sat. That day had been rather confusing; well then again her whole life had been utterly strange. If so then why would this be different? Indeed strange nevertheless emotive. What if Link was once dead? What if he never changed for the best? Was that enough to discard love? Some love senseless, others love passionately, selfishly. Could she really deprive Link of affections due to his own lacking? The one-eyed can still see, who would blind such man? And even if Link was incomplete, Zelda is whole. If her lover arose from the dead, so could her heart.

Link admired his master and vaguely remembered something about her, about her self, her being. Before he could grasp it, he quaked a little when he felt a hand taking his and throwing it around a back and onto Zelda's shoulder, she leaned against his chest and pressed hard. A token of appreciation to each other.

"I promise I shall tech you" she looked up as she spoke

"I understand" Link replied with his same blank stare.

Their eyes met sharing a secret conversation, unknown even to them; on the other hand there were affairs that needed tending.

"Zelda…" he was shushed softly.

"Be silent" she whispered and looked away into eternity. "Allow us this moment of peace."

"But what of…"

"Leave it, whatever it is it can wait. Time is with us for now."

"You might presume too much." Zelda exhaled a long breath.

"Link, verily you challenge my patience. If you say one more word…" a grin "I shall slap you. "

Barely one second and an immediate irruption.

"Why would…?" before he could finish, he was met by the warning after which he had nothing more to say.

Zelda hushed a giggle with her hand and then started caressing Link's bare hand, wondering where his gauntlet went. While Link attempted to place the slap somewhere within the demonstrations of love; and about the fortifications, why the generals had been so unable to defend the walls and respond attacks.

Outside the room, far away and into the fields of Hyrule the caravans of merchants returned to their establishments to lock the rupees earned and exchange it later for commerce gold. Some of the soldiers volunteered to accompany them at least to the closest town or check mark protected by another company.

The field was quiet, really quiet. The occasional birds sang nothing, rather they observed the wanderers. The rolling grass of green hills seemed calm enough almost unaware of the war waged on top of them. But something seemed to unease the soldiers and their horses. Nothing described or noted by this or that. It was a feeling of being observed, of being followed.

One of the soldiers held his spear firmly and called the men. "I shall go first and scout out, two on the rear and the rest evenly in the flanks form a square unless I order else."

The rest of the soldiers obeyed as the commander cracked the reins and galloped towards the other side of the mysterious hills.

The whole company, including the merchants felt unsure about the road. As they watched the commander leave, they paid attention to everything that moved: a branch, the grass, the rocks, the wind, and the clouds. It all seemed suspicious; it frightened them.

"In the hills, beneath the tall weeds" one thought

"Wings shall be" one from the flank thought as he searched the skies.

Almost sharing the same mind, the two from the rear thought "surely we shall die defending their back"

The right flank was shivering even though the attempted to be firm, their armours rattled in audible metallic resonance. But it was the voice of a merchant that startled the guard.

"What happens now?" he asked to whoever would answer.

"Silence yourself!" a soldier next to him reprimanded. "Quiet all around" turned to warn the rest.

"Mind your manners" the soldier riding behind talked back. "There is no need for silence, these monsters do not sneak."

"Attention, here comes our captain." The company readied for whatever command they received if only their chief would hustle. He seemed to be searching for something given that he approached curving his way, almost as though the horse would guide him and not the other way around. As he came close they noticed he was looking up thus the rest of the company did so.

"What is it, captain?" the closest one asked.

Instead of the response, the captain dropped his head revealing a beautifully clean cut.

The only woman merchant screamed in horror as the soldiers reckoned that the great growl they all heard beneath the shriek was in fact hooves and paws approaching.

It was not the screams or the beastly fury that reached Link at the castle but the terror and anguish. It's cold stab hit him like an arrow shot to his heart that brought him to stand and almost dropping the princess to the floor.

"What is it? She asked as she moved her headdress to place. No answer; Link's face was not straight nor his gaze cold anymore, as though as he could see across horizons and through stones, he turned every way searching for what caught his attention; he was trying to interpret his premonition.

"What?" she asked again, this time Link left the room and even when the princess followed him to even the hallway he would not answer. Zelda stood as Link walked away fast from her, he took a passing soldier and whispered something as they continued beyond reach.

Frustrated, she exhaled and met Impa as she turned the other way.

"Charming young lad, indeed" Zelda stayed her face low, clearly disappointed, the same expression she asked Impa to go with her. And so they returned to the secret chambers where they had just been and as they locked the door, Zelda threw herself to Impa for embrace and to start sobbing.

"You should have seen us, everything was perfect." Few sobs and the cold steel from Impa's breastplate. "Well almost." Another pause. "Why does he have to be like that? Ignoring me as though I am worthless? I am the princess, ruler over this land, and his master for that matter" She turned her drier cheek and continued sobbing.

Impa tried not to but she rounded Zelda with her arms and liked the moment even better. The warmth from another one, even from despair was something Impa had never known and yet arose a familiar feeling.

"You should never mind him, milady." Impa finally replied and added words she had stored within herself for a long time, sometimes for what seemed ages. "He should be the least of your problems. We are at war. You have a vast kingdom and however you are young in years, you have become a wise monarch that has led the people to prosperity; and what of him? A mere ignorant commoner unable to speak clearly." the princess ceased her sobbing. "An alleged hero but was killed for his foolishness. You hold charm and beauty known for miles around even by those that never set eyes upon you. And him... he has eyes as empty as his soul never loved nor wanted. Who cares what he thinks?

"Stop" Zelda energetically intervened as she pushed Impa away. "I forbid you to express yourself that way."

"Milady, I was simply saying the truth." But Zelda would not bear Impa to say such cruel things.

"The truth is for what I care not. He may be all what you said or even worse but I do love him."

"He does not deserve it." Hearing this made Zelda regain her posture and clear her tears for in that statement, her wise guardian was wrong.

"That is not for you to tell me. My heart lodges all kinds of feelings and people. And I just came to the conclusion that his lack and faults are not enough to stop me from loving him." She went to the stairs and before going up, Impa spoke again.

"I think you are better off without those feelings."

"Well, what I think…" made a pause with a foot on the first stair. "Is that one day we will have a serious disagreement, you and I will." And left. Impa pulled her blade and contemplated, took out a handkerchief and polished the tip until shinning again.

As Link whispered the orders to the soldier, he felt impressed that Zelda was being more… what is that word? Useless; quite.

Why must she always say that? There is no way to change things by merely willing it. Just as Zelda cannot disregard her blood he cannot overlook his call, Link thought and doing so seemed familiar.

"Sir?" the soldier interrupted his thoughts.

"Get me as many off-duty soldiers and bring them to the stables, go." And then added "Only those without something to do."

Link's premonitions confounded him; strange, even when directed he felt something wrong about it. His premonitions directed him towards evil, true but why did he felt unsure about this one? Was he supposed to ignore it?

Regardless, he entered the sun outside of the hallway, jumped right over the open passage into the gardens, turned left, crossed the stream and opened the door to the stables.

Those were the stables for the guard, the cavalry troops held theirs in another to the opposite side of the castle grounds. None of the soldiers were there yet.

"What is taking them so long? He wondered without the minimum hint of pressure.

The stable before him held twenty horses; the patch designated for them was quite big with other six horse barns with the same capacity.

Link went for Epona's stall but could not find her, only her hay and the spare chair. "Where is she?" he wondered, it took him quite some time to remember where she was. "She must be tended by Lord Anchorage's servants". He concluded.

In view of her absence, Link took another horse, and since they all came from Lon Lon ranch, he trusted in Malon's breeds. He chaired the white and brown steed meanwhile the soldiers finally came running.

"Sir" the one he sent stepped up. "These are the only available."

"It is enough. To horse!"

They all leapt to the mount and set straight for the gates through the main road at the west wing. They rode hard through the people unaware of the passing company. Link ahead of them, opening through the people, and then through nothing once in the field; he seemed to know where he was going, nevertheless unknowing ever what they were searching.

They set westward in a line, passing the roads to the Gerudo Valley and avoiding the main travelling trail. Why going through the more insignificant route? Who would be going travelling this way?

The ride went hard a little before they wondered why they left. Why without any reinforcements, why not take the cavalry? Now come to think of it… what were they going to encounter? Spies? Monsters? A complete invading army? Ganondorf himself? And then they saw it, the signal of what they searched. Black as the night and rising, close even seemed one could stretch out and grab it.

"Quick!" Link pressed his horse and galloped faster leaving the rest of the company behind, deciding whether or not they should go in formation. The black smoke came from three coaches piled up and burning, surrounding them the rest of the trading company, a few helms and weapons dropped. When the soldiers caught up to their commander, they were amazed as to how on earth he could have known about this raid. Thinking about it made them shiver.

"Where are the bodies?" no one answered, they were all admiring the mess, if admiring is the word for it, that is. "What of the bodies!" Not a question, but pointing the obvious. Everyone heard him but could not give an answer. There were none to be seen. Only remains. "By twos I want every point sought by at least 20 leagues find me any kind of trail, creature or stranger, when done report back at the castle. The rest search for bodies here." He unhorsed, pulled an arrow from one of the closer soldiers' quiver and threw it to the fire freezing it and shattering the heap of ice with his boot; nothing underneath it. The soldiers searched very slowly; not careful but fearful. What if this was an ambush? They already sent almost half of their force. Could they make a stand? What if this was a trap? What would happen when spring? Dismemberment at the very least, for sure. Ten remaining soldiers searched around, picking up the carriages, seeking among the goods scattered, especially because of a big roll of silk and one of other fabric enclosed much of the area.

At the quivering end of a quivering hand revealed what was under the landau, now broken into pieces and covered in dirt for some unknown reason.

With relief, he set his fears aside to aid the only survivor whatever hit the caravan left, underneath the scraps a very terrified woman lay, the sister of one of the merchants, the one whose scream of terror seemed to pass distances all the way to Link's ears, still shaking but unconscious. It is quite difficult to describe her state, easier to say that she was between the worse of being conscious and unconscious. Her eyes turned red were wide open, her cheeks dirty and smeared by her tears; staring at the infinite nothing; she seemed to be unconsciously conscious of her surroundings as her vacantly full head tormented her calmly. The soldiers sat her up correctly as one of them kneeled in front of her, he had kind eyes and a soft calm voice which entitled him to question her.

"Can you hear me, woman?" he asked taking off his helmet. Silence and a misplaced stare. "Are you hurt?" She blinked. Link watched behind him as the rest of the soldiers searched more around; still he recognized the state she was in. Something he saw repeatedly in the people who witness violence, thus are hurt inside. He tried to remember how to cure them.

"Look at me, you are safe." He said as he moved aside the hair from her face.

"Hold her." Link finally said. The soldier turned to see Link looking away arms crossed. He thought that maybe he heard wrong and that his chieftain said nothing.

"Hold her." He said again. This time looking at him. The soldier thought and

Considered why he heard this, nevertheless he knew Link well enough to remember that one should never question Link.

Her long black hair at first covered her face completely until the soldier who found her removed it showing two very uneasy brown eyes, perhaps disturbed is more of the word for they seemed to be dead. Her stare was as blank as Link's, actually. Slowly, he obeyed, placing his hands first on her shoulders and gently pulling her towards him. The other two returned to seek among the remains.

She felt a man's breath over her, something hard, flat against her chest and cold on her cheek. The she heard once again, the talking was distant and a whisper to her ear: "all is well, all is well." It said.

Her hands clenched into fists, her lips quivered, fresh tears bathed her eyes and rolled down her soiled cheeks and so she began to sob; quickly after she cried loudly holding tight to the man without even understanding where she was.

"Sir." One of the soldiers spoke from behind them. "There are no more bodies, and no traces of blood. There are about 20 spears in the ground and a captain's helmet; I would say that there were more."

"Any tracks from their horses"

"Nothing obvious."

"Go back to the castle then, I want a report on any movements of troops, who and where they are." He kept on without looking but waiting on the woman's first words. "And get me a report from those scouting." He added.

"Yes sir."

The soldier ran towards his horse and leaping he mounted and galloped fast towards the castle.

Link watched him this to make sure that at least that soldier could leave his presence safely. A measure that became quite necessary that day. What could happen to him? He wondered, not out of ignorance but out of endless possibilities. It was then that for the first time Link could not know for sure where he felt the danger. Did he feel it in the air? In the water? Inside him? Where did evil lurk that hour? Where was safe?

"It is quite simple." A voice crept from the skies. It was distorted, much alike a very distant moan although very familiar.

Link looked around the kind one still held the woman as she wailed, not so loudly now. The remains of the carriages, the two rolls of clothing being gathered by the soldiers as well as other goods. Surely they said nothing. And then he saw it, a shadow sliding around the area, a big shadow.

None of the men seemed to notice it, regardless he went towards the tree line close by, especially close to the big one without leaves with a big hick and incidentally long straight horizontal branch where a character Link hadn't seen in a long time stood.

"Kaepora…" he was not amazed rather confused.

"Quite a long time no see." The big owl stood firm, the branch did not shunt one bit. Kaepora stared at Link with his huge yellow eyes as he turned his head at times in a strange manner.

"What do you want.?"

"I what?" he laughed which sounded like hooting. "No… now the question is what do you want?"

"Many things."

"Those men over there." Link turned with Kaepora to gaze at them. "They want to go home, see their families… except that one with the woman, he wishes for that embrace to never end."

Silence. Both of them. Wind blew and a lonely bird passed by without a sound. Who knows what that meant.

"As I said, it is quite simple."

"What?"

"The answer to your question." More silence. "Come now, I know what question troubles you, if you will not ask then at least admit it."

"I admit it, then I was wondering where safety is to be found."

"Simple: Nowhere. Danger is everywhere."

"Really? The people are nowhere safe?"

"That is correct."

"Is evil…?"

"Hold on. I said danger, not evil. There is a difference."

As Link though about that difference Kaepora went on ahead. "While the two represent peril, it is danger that comprehends all kinds of risks. Evil is simple, it is extreme whereas danger is complicated and goes in stages."

"I do not understand."

"I am sorry then, it is beyond my abilities to give you a smarter head." Kaepora hooted or laughed, it sounds the same. "Do you not laugh anymore?"

"I neither remember the last time nor do it anymore."

"No matter. Enough you do if you remember my words."

"I shall"

Kaepora made wind and after a few flaps he became a distant dot in the far horizon. He had seen many a strange thing, Kaepora had, but recently in Hyrule all had been superseded in two years.

The battle of time as they commonly called it in the folk songs, left traces without tracks. Stories without facts. Impossible some say? Well his eyes witnessed all of it.

It was not the impossible side of it, not the rarity of the truth, even though it appeals many adventurers; it was the evident side of it which concerned him.

As Link Watched Kaepora leave, he wondered why he appeared at this precise moment. Impa said that he loves praise and thankfulness but Link had given him none.

The raising sun burned his face as he saw the last of Gaebora, the wind ceased and with it the last tear of that woman whose mind was at some point clear.

"May I have some water?" She inquired. The soldier was too deep within his heart to even hear her. She inquired again, this time the soldier heard but believed not his ears.

"Sir" he called for Link and he went to see. "She asks for water, I do not have any."

Link examined her face, particularly her eyes and their tiring sad expression. She needed water among many other things more importantly medicine.

He reached into his pouch instinctively, only realizing after opening the bottle that he would not have the red potion with him save for the spare he kept and the custom in Hyrule of burying men with all of his possessions.

The woman saw the glass and thought of sweet wine, she gladly opened her mouth at request and even more gladly when feeling her strength coming back with the touch of a single drop.

"Can you hear me?" Link inquired staring coldly at her.

It would appear to the whole crowd that she could not hear a thing had it not been for her turning to see who sneezed behind her. But really she was fascinated by the strange man in odd clothes who spoke such a strange yet familiar language. She could almost understand him. Who is he? She wondered.

"Sir, if I may?" Said the same soldier who had held her for so long, he approached to the woman and talked sweetly as though a share of her heart he could claim.

"How do you feel?"

"Better". She answered but her eyes held the secret.

"My name is Typhor, we are all soldiers. Would you care to tell us what happened?"

At first the woman kept certain peacefulness mixed with expressed heartache that is when she said in return.

"My name is Lydia…" Before she could go on, a pause. Then her hands started to shake, her eyes held no secret any longer as they set straight into nothing as though in a trance, her lip began to shudder with the memory of what cannot be undone. "I knew we were in danger and that we should not have left." Typhor was about to intervene but Link held him back, for he perceived that Lydia was not done yet. "And they came; they all knew this would happen, you could see it in their eyes. And the captain, he was the brave one who went first… he came back without his head."

Everything was quiet save for Lydia's breathing that turned uneasy as she recalled that horrible scene. But she had nothing more to say for soon after that the wagon fell on top of her covering with darkness the wide open eyes until a kind hand held her close making her feel safe in the little time that seemed to her a whole life.

Link on the other hand minded less about her well-being and more about what had happened, particularly with the bodies.

"What attacked you?" Link asked and Typhor asked again.

"An alligator or so it seemed; an enormous one that breathes fire." A dodongo, everyone concluded.

"Did he eat the men?" Typhor asked by his own inquiry.

"Eat them?" now she looked confused.

"Or something else attacked you?"

"I only saw that thing."

"What did he do to the bodies?"

"The bodies?"

"Yes, the bodies. The dead?"

"Dead?"

"Yes the dead, woman!" A soldier from the back pushed his way through to look her in the eye for he had had enough of her rambling. "What of them? What did that monster or monsters do to the men who died defending your life and your redundant tongue?"

Typhor stood in front of that other soldier to keep his defying eyes away from Lydia as he shouted at her but they kept piercing her with despise.

"The men?" she asked, Typhor held the soldier back who almost drew his sword as he spat all kinds of curses to the wretched witless hag that drove him mad. And when the curses turned to Typhor, they started to wrestle. The surrounding men joined the come to blows turning what was a guard into a self-hating mob.

Paradoxical to things: the only man without feelings, who knows half the language, and to whom things from the heart are as foreign as the farthest kingdom; he was the one who interpreted the meaning of meaningless ignorant words.

While the men fought, Link stood as steady and serene as a statue before he went towards the fight, after which he walked, calmly? Shall we say? And then he stood between the multitudes that rested their fighting upon seeing their chieftain. He told Typhor the question he was to ask Lydia, it was then that the men fell silent for it was so disconcerting that confused them and thus could not wait to see the effect when uttered. They forgot everything, after that they orderly went back a few steps towards Lydia; and kneeling, staring into her troubled soul finally Typhor asked.

"Did any of them die?" Breaths held their piece, hearts skipped their beats as Lydia looked around the mess not searching something or recalling for what she witnessed for she wanted to forget to cease her suffering. She looked again because what happened there would change her life forever.

"Only the captain died." She finally answered. "Each and every one of them ran for it and left me for dead, including my brother. I was able to see that." She stood. "Is that what they teach you in the army? Cowardice?" she spoke to the soldier who yelled at her and walked towards him with her eyes neither teary nor sad but burning with rage as clear-minded as she ever was. "You can find them, and then you can unsheathe your sword, now… out of my way" and he yielded for her words had cut him deep, deeper than a blade. Not afraid but ashamed.

Lydia walked by without minding how far Kakariko village is to walk.

Everyone stared at her but Link, of course, he thought, the weapons were dropped not snatched, neither broken nor soiled. Some of them are even still shining. Good. Because they, the deserters will not need them now, and we do.

"Attention, all of you gather the weapons and everything of use, we shall be taking it."

"Shall I seek the seekers? So that they return?" a nearby soldier asked.

"No, I want them to find the deserters."

"Why is that, sir?"

"Because they shall be executed."

"Sir?" everyone stopped their labours and turned to see Link.

"Deserters die; it is part of our law."

"But sir…"

"Deserters die; it is part of our law."

"They are not deserters, they ran for their lives."

"That is called desertion. When you abandon your position or post, when others die when you do not and whenever you run in the wrong direction, war or not is called desertion. Even I know this." Then he turned to his horse for he needed to go back to the castle, but before even mounting he perceived that they were not gathering things. Even after an order they did not. There is a name for this. "Anyone feels differently about my judgement? If so that is insubordination which is punished by lashing." He dropped the reins and turned to gaze at them. "Disobey me and that is sedition and rebellion which is punished by death." And he rested a hand over his Kokiri sword.

For the first time these men who had been in the service for a fair long time were now afraid of Link.

Seeing that they would not dare do anything against the orders he left them confident that they would do every single thing. He galloped fast taking the shortest route, within he felt his blood boil every part of his body as his clear mind swirled with thoughts of death and justice.

Zelda could see him from afar, knowing that as important as his affairs could be, she would not let this pass without discharging her chest and her mind against that troublemaker. What at first as a moving distant cloud, she could now distinguish green clothes as she approached the barns quickly.

"What was it? Why did you leave in such a rash?" She asked form the doorway as Link tied the horse.

"There was an attack"

"Where?" Strangely Zelda did not worry about the attack perhaps she knew about it somehow.

"In the road to Gerudo Valley. Only one dead, the rest fled.

"What measure should we take?"

"It was a merchant caravan guarded by some soldiers… the soldiers will be executed. We need to meet in order to make this stand."

"I shall arrange this. Do you plan to confront Ganondorf?"

"It is my wish but to do so now would be unwise, we need to gather the sages."

"I will summon them." Silence and a couple standing facing each other. "Anything else?"

"Not for now, thank you."

"Good. Perhaps now you can explain me why you left in such a hurry."

"I already have."

"No, that does not explain your rudeness and lack of commitment towards me."

"I had to leave."

"The behaviour code mandates a proper leave in front of the ruler. That is me, and you did not. Explain this."

"I cannot nor do I understand." There was no need for Zelda to be so obstinate, or so he thought. However Link's death was still on his lover's heart; her pain spoke for her instead of her curiosity.

"I thought so, frankly I care the least." She exhaled and took time to scrutinize well the man before her. He provoked so many things, but now was not for dramatic displays, it was time for amends. This took the place where her previous point laid. "There is something I realized when you died."

"What is that?"

"That is true when I say I am unable to live without you. And I enlarge the fact not in the smallest bit. However I demand more from you. These displays of rudeness will stop."

"Is it wise to dwell in these matters given our situation?"

"We could die any hour and I intend to do so with a whole heart, not shattered as you constantly make it." Silence. "Do you care about me?"

"Yes."

"Do you love me?"

"What do I know about love?" Zelda's eyes knew not yet they pleaded for some answer. "I remember once when you found a letter from your mother written before your birth. It begged your father not to be with that woman. Do you remember this?"

An old wound but not unnecessarily opened, Zelda thought so, she nodded. "You barged into your father's chambers with me along and you demanded to know what treason that was."

"I remember. What about it?" She wanted to hear a point not dig into the aching past.

"He said he loved your mother more than you could ever imagine but you said that words are not enough. Why are words everything with me?"

A fair question, Zelda could not answer it right away nor did she want to. The reason: two year of uncertain feelings and even mourning do not turn away and vanish with just a few words. Whatever attacks could come, this moment was for them as a couple, to prosper. After all, it was love that drove her all this time and strengthened her.

"That is different."

"In what way?"

"It is just different, it simply is so."

"You never made yourself that question, right?"

"That makes no difference."

"You are very knowledgeable; you tell me if I love you."

Compliments are very strange when they come from Link. They are not intended that way, rather it is the truth or in other words, what he believes is to be true. But to Zelda, everything that comes from Link was in the best intentions, she knew this. Almost as though they were small presents without greetings or congratulations.

About that, things are not always as they seem. Beyond our eyes, deep within the hearts and thoughts of the people, for good or bad, intentions direct themselves. The same way are the small matters like this one of the heart, troublesome yet important and drawing. They need our attention. Maybe difficult times like these are the ones that remind us such affairs and their importance. On the other hand, maybe our affections grow intense after getting back what was lost, and in that transition, we loose focus of everything else. Perhaps the calm before the storm is simply the storm somewhat quieted.

In any case, that is unknown to two lovers disputing what words can define. If only they listened themselves once in a while.

"I cannot." Her head lowered in shame. "I tried time and again but I am unable."

"Time shall decide then." And left without excusing himself.

"Yes time." Zelda exhaled as she saw him leave. "Time holds the answer to everything."


End file.
